A wartime documentary on the young pilots who were sent to defend Malta during World War II premiered on the major international TV network History Channel last night.

The documentary, Heroes in the Sky, was produced, written and directed by Engelbert Grech and contains a mixture of archive footage re-enactments and animation edited to the rock tunes of Maltese band Winter Moods.

The documentary first hit cinema screens in Malta at the end of 2007, proving to be a great success with audiences.

Almost two years later and after numerous showings in various major cities as part of the roving EU film festival, the documentary has now made it to an international TV network.

"I am very proud of Malta's history and through the art of film-making I managed to package our rich history in an interesting documentary that appeals to an international audience," said Mr Grech.

The documentary chronicles the overwhelming odds the pilots faced to save Malta from falling into the clutches of fascism and Nazism. The pilots came from the four corners of the world: the US, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

In recent years, Mr Grech added, the Maltese film industry had come a long way and the fact that productions got distribution deals on international television networks showed the level that had been achieved.