Bollywood is coming to Malta this weekend as some of India’s latest releases are being shown locally during the first edition of the Malta India Film Festival.

Twenty-six films, including Indian pictures shot in Malta and local productions, will be screened during the three-day event which kicks off tomorrow in Valletta.

Sanju

“Malta’s film industry has always been associated with Hollywood and European film-makers. However, there was always the idea of diversification, with Malta exploring new emerging markets,” Engelbert Grech, the festival’s director, told the Times of Malta.

“We have managed to break the ice and create a lot of interest among Indian producers wanting to shoot in Malta. Year on year, we are seeing an increasing number of Bollywood productions being filmed here,” he added.

This interest resulted in the establishment of the Malta India Film Academy earlier this year.

“The aim of the academy, made up of a strong team of film aficionados from both countries, is to build a creative bridge between the two countries and create a plat-form where film-makers can collaborate and even co-produce films together,” said Mr Grech.

Producers and film-makers were given the opportunity to submit their films for the festival and these were evaluated by a judging panel made up of key people from both the Indian and Maltese film industries, pointed out Mr Grech. The chosen films present topics relevant to both countries.

“The festival presents a great opportunity for local audiencesto discover great Indian movies,” he said. “Besides, it aims to generate awareness and work as a conversation starter about issues common to both countries, but not just restricted to them, presenting issues that are universal in appeal.”

Thugs of Hindostan, a $20 million production partly shot in Malta, will open the festival. Its director, Vijay Krishna Acharya, is flying to Malta for the opening ceremony at the Mediterranean Conference Centre and will also address a masterclass session for film-makers at St James Cavalier.

Id-Destin

The festival, which is backed by the Ministry for Tourism, will also present the Bollywood blockbuster Sanju, which has dominated the box office in India this year, and Sir, which represented India at the Cannes Film Festival last May.

Aruvi

The films will be shown concurrently in India, so audiences there will have the opportunity to appreciate six local productions, The Boat, Hemm Dar il-Qala, Id-Destin, Marbut, Toxicity and Kannizzati, which Mr Grech describes as being of “very high quality”.

The closing ceremony, being held in Mumbai, India, on Monday, will feature Indian and Maltese talent, including tenor Cliff Zammit Stevens.

The winners of each of the 10 categories, including best feature film, director, soundtrack and script, will be announced at the end of the show.

“This is just the beginning of a new adventure,” concluded Mr Grech.

For more information and a detailed schedule of screenings, visit https://mifaa.com .

Sir

The Boat

Raazi

Hemm Dar il-Qala