A Valletta restaurateur yesterday filed an official letter against the producers of Brad Pitt’s film being shot in Malta protesting that the company had effectively stopped works at his property during filming.

John Debono, the CEO of Triton Operators Ltd, also said that during filming of World War Z, the production company, Latina Pictures Ltd, had attached signs and other props to the façade of his property at Pinto Wharf, Valletta without permission.

The production company also managed to abuse the judicial system, he said, by securing a warrant of prohibitory injunction to stop him from carrying out internal works in the same building because it was disrupting filming. That court order was still valid and did not allow him to continue with the works, Mr Debono said.

He pointed out that this was not the first time it happened because when the film Medium was being shot along the Vittoriosa waterfront in April last year, the company had made use of his premises without paying him.

The same thing happened with the latest film where he was promised €1,000 but had received nothing yet. Furthermore, occupants of the adjacent buildings along Pinto Wharf had received compensation sums far greater than what he was promised.

Mr Debono is holding the production company responsible for any possible damages and demanded compensation immediately.

FILM-SHOOTING AT GRAND HARBOUR

Meanwhile, two helicopters flew low over Grand Harbour yesterday afternoon during the last phases of film-shooting in Malta. See pictures above, by Martin Spillane - mynews@timesofmalta.com