Mike Tabone, a young doctor who set up a maverick film company five years ago, talks to Simonne Pace about the creativity behind this exciting venture and its latest production, Cancer Warriors.

Five years ago, a bunch of creative minds got together with a common dream – to turn their love of film into something tangible. Determined to make this happen, these free spirits combined their talents and stepped into their own world of film-making, creating Three Generations Down (TGD).

The team’s stand-out production right now is Cancer Warriors.

“We are investigating the power of natural and physical therapies over traditional chemotherapy in a breakthrough programme set up and designed by our very own Donatello Pisani, who is a pharmacist, master coach and author working with local cancer patients. The results have been mind-blowing. There actually is a way to help combat cancer and we’re capturing every moment. It’s going to be spell-binding,” says founder Mike Tabone, also a medical doctor.

The TGD team never stops. It currently has two short films in post-production: Colour, which won the 2017 ICA Festival award, and Get Out, a short that delves into supernatural horror.

Furthermore, they are also working on Gozo at Arms, a feature documentary addressing 500 years of military history in Gozo, presented in a way that has never been done before.

Behind TGD is a group of people putting their skills to good use.

Amadeo Bezzina and Clint Camilleri are cameramen with an eye for visual communication. Production manager Manuel Xuereb keeps matters in perspective when it comes to the crunch. Mikhail Buttigieg and Luke Galea are the team’s technical support wizards. Clive Refalo is the man with the plan when it comes to production design. Caroline Hili masterminds the wardrobe on each production while Lorinda Camilleri is the make-up artist. Melvin Calleja handles set perimeters, security and transport.

Dion Hawley is the team’s editor-at-large who brings ideas to life. Chris Tabone works as first production assistant, keeping each team member on track. Photographers Gunnar Boehme, Baskal Mallia and Alain Salvary are the team’s eagle eyes on set. Finally, Donatello Pisani is the chief operating officer and the man behind the scenes, making sure TGD operates optimally.

It’s all for one and one for all

“It’s all for one and one for all,” says Mike, who comes up with the concepts, writes them down, lets them cook and then fires up the rest of the team to get projects done. The company is his proverbial baby.

The team’s latest award-winning short film, Eve, produced in collaboration with Imitosis Media, has also been released for online viewing, following screenings in local theatres last Christmas, as well as at four prestigious international film festivals. It presents the thought-provoking issue of mental health awareness.

The crew gather around director Matthew Ellul during the filming of the short Eve.

Mike says the feedback received from both online and theatre audiences has been amazing.

“Compared to today’s movie fodder, a short that bases itself mainly on dialogue will traditionally have a very narrow appeal. Movie audiences today are expecting to be blown away by oomph, catastrophe and eye-popping CGI. Instead, we had actors Manuel Cauchi and Jamie Cardona engaging in a dark, soul-consuming drama on a quiet rooftop at the Citadel in Gozo, a setting for an impending, unnamed tragedy. And the audience just lapped it up.

“You then step back and watch what happens to all of that beautiful architecture as the two worlds collide and that balance is lost on the rim of the abyss.”

Eve unfolds on the night before Christmas.

“An eve is the harbinger of darkness, the central element of the story. It was a simple term that was perfectly placed,” Mike explains.

“I am deeply interested in the way an individual deals with the nature of reality, and how this subjective approach evolves as we navigate through life and are moulded by our experiences. Eve spells out a sense of existential nihilism through the eyes of an old man and a young boy as prompted by the attitude of society around them.”

The film has been shortlisted at the Split Film Festival, Valletta Film Festival, Golden Knight Film Festival and Kinemastik. It also won an award at the Golden Knight Film Festival. The initial screenplay was scrutinised and modified time and again by the writer, director and producer. The final draft was actually the 12th version of the original screenplay.

“I really wanted audiences to take the dark side of this subject seriously,” says Mike. “So it was necessary to give it as much attention as we possibly could  and present it in a way that would intrigue our viewers.

“My main driving force was to engage audiences with the pressing need for opening our collective eyes to mental health awareness. Socially and personally, it is a situation I face on a daily basis. People simply do not want to engage with this concept.

“Mental health is still very much a taboo topic, even in this day and age. There is a lack of education, awareness and responsibility. I just wanted to shine a light on the subject and get people talking. Even if it is only in whispers for now. But at least, it is a start.”

To watch the online short Eve, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=505RCiTMYrs&t=269s— .