The fourth edition of the Valletta Film Festival (VFF) recently came to an end and the winners of this year’s edition were announced at the awards ceremony held at Pjazza Teatru Rjal, in Valletta.
The winner of the Official Competition – Feature Film was Anchor and Hope, which also won best screenplay for its writers Carlos Marques-Marcet and Jules Nurrish. The jury commented that Anchor and Hope was their choice “for introducing us effortlessly to the love of a couple that happens to be made of two women, for granting it to be simply in love as any couple, without politics or claim to its difference and thus achieving to plainly integrate it into society, and also thanks to a trio of witty, endearing actors by welcoming us into their world”.
The other winners were Babis Makridis, best director for Pity; and Susanne Wolff and Benedict Neuenfels who won best performance and best cinematographer for Styx. The best documentary was awarded to the haunting Island of Hungry Ghosts, with a special mention to Of Fathers and Sons, while the award for best cinematographer – documentary was given to Christian Kermer for Welcome to Sodom.
The Short Film Competition was won by Deer Boy with a special mention for Correspondance Pelliculaire, while the documentary Children of the Snow Land walked away with both the Audience Award and the Teen Choice Award.
The VFF is not, however, merely about the awards. It is an event that is now firmly ensconced on Malta’s cultural calendar, deservedly so, giving a platform to feature films, documentaries and short films from all around the globe while also offering thousands of film buffs the opportunity to meet myriad film-makers of all stripes.
When the festival launched in 2015, the organisers from the Film Grain Foundation claimed they would turn the ‘city into a cinema’, and it is evident they have achieved their aim.
There was a palpable buzz in the host city over the festival’s 10-day run. Custom-made signs directed people to the various venues; patrons milled from one venue to the next, either to catch a movie at the Embassy Cinemas or to watch a documentary at Spazju Kreattiv.
Audiences had the choice to attend one of the many sidebar events and master classes across the city to hobnob with the talent, with many attending the red-carpet events that took place in evenings at Pjazza Teatru Rjal.
The programme contained 40 feature films and documentaries. The choice was eclectic - from award-winning romantic comedies to daring dramas and fact-based films; with 27 shorts of varying genres – and it must be said, the quality of these was exceptionally high: from a personal point of view.
As a film buff, it was also gratifying to note that even the mid-week and mid-afternoon screenings attracted fair numbers of people of all ages. The choice for younger audiences was also wide, culminating in a screening of acclaimed animated film The Breadwinner. The resulting audience turnout should be of great satisfaction to the organisers.
“We were thrilled with the response we got for this year’s VFF,” agrees Rebecca Anastasi, a member of the Film Grain Foundation and one of the festival’s programmers.
“Hearing what people had to say about the films we screened and recognising regular participants coming to the festival for the fourth year running was quite overwhelming. We love to know what audiences think of the films, which was one of the reasons why we set up the Audience Award.”
The festival also included a considerable number of Maltese entries, both features and shorts,in a mini-celebration of the Maltese film industry.
We were thrilled with the reponse we got for this year’s VFF
“We loved seeing Maltese filmmakers and artists come together as a community at one of our events,” says Rebecca. “This sense of cohesion is really one of the aims of VFF.”
Every year, the VFF celebrates a ‘Master of Cinema’. This year, the festival had two – Ingmar Bergman, with the festival joining the world to celebrate the centenary of this cinematic legend’s birth with screenings of two of his masterpieces; and Peter Greenaway, artist, film-maker and more, and creator of numerous visually stunning and brainteasing films.
Greenaway was present at the festival with screenings of a number of his accomplished films taking place over the 10-day period, together with screenings of The Greenaway Alphabet, the documentary about him made by his wife, artist Saskia Boddeke. It was a delightful piece which captured a number of intimate conversations between Greenaway and the couple’s daughter Zoe. It also celebrated the rationale behind some of his intellectual and creative achievements; while also highlighting his charming side.
Another high point of Greenaway’s visit was his masterclass, titled Water, in which he explained the importance of the titular element in his work, giving participants a fascinating look at his output. Greenaway also regaled audiences with his controversial views on numerous subjects, from the imminent death of cinema as we know it, to his plans to kill himself when he turns 80…
It is fair to say that, in just four years, the reputation of the VFF has grown to the extent one would imagine it is easy to attract the likes of Greenaway and many other filmmakers from all over the world, who were here either to present their work, or mingle with audiences and sit on the juries. The likes of documentary filmmaker Zara Balfour; cinematographer Philippe van Leeuw; and Maltese novelist; and poet Immanuel Mifsud are but a few of the various personalities who attended.
“Actually, we wish it were easier but it is all a question of building relationships,” muses Anastasi. “We were very lucky to be able to host some great filmmakers at the festival, and to build relationships with some exceptional talent. And, that’s what film is about – making connections, collaborating and forming friendships. The world is very small so we hope to continue doing so as the years progress.
“The guests who came loved Malta and loved the festival,” she adds.
“They were actually quite taken with Valletta and especially, with our venues. They also commented positively on the intimacy of the festival. Because we are a small festival, they are able to interact more with each other, with our audience and the team itself. That is invaluable for film-makers.”
What were the highlights of this year’s VFF for the organisers? “There are so many highlights to choose from,” exclaims Rebecca. “We would say, however, that being able to meet film-makers, artists and storytellers from all over the world definitely comes up on top!”
That a festival of this typerequires an immense amount of manpower and resources is obvious and the core Film Grain Foundation committee is backed by a huge team.
“Of course, none of this would have been possible without all the help we received,” says a grateful Rebecca.
“Our technical crew, our production team and all the volunteers are crucial for the smooth running of all the shows and eventd as part of the VFF.
“After everyedition we analyse what went well and what could have been done better and this year we were blessed with some fantastic team mates so we hope they return next year.”
Is there anything the organisers feel needs to be changed?
“I’m sure more change will be afoot,” states Rebecca. “We always shake things up a bit, since it’s healthy to experiment at this stage to find out what works best.
“I’m sure there will be some changes for next year – but you’ll have to wait till next year to find out,” she adds with a smile.
What is in store for VFF5?
“Number 5 is a magic number, so it’s going to be quite a celebration,” she says with a laugh.
The Valletta Film Festival is supported by Arts Council Malta through the Cultural Partnership Agreement.