This Monday, on the first event of the Malta Film Film week, a Vision for the Film Industry, entitled ‘2030 Vision – A Stage for Everyone’s stories’ was launched.
During his speech, Film Commissioner Johann Grech said that the Malta Film Week is a first for the Film Industry in Malta.
“The Malta Film Week and the Malta Film Awards generated quite a debate nationwide. I don’t remember this kind of debate and engagement before in the film industry, the Film Commissioner said.
The Film Commissioner described the Malta Film Industry as an industry which keeps moving forward, even during hard times. He labelled the Maltese Film Industry as one which is growing everyday, creating more jobs, and having an ever-growing number of stakeholders.
The Film Commissioner highlighted the vision of the Government of Malta and the Film Commission for the years to come.
“Our vision is about people who want to work in the film industry. Our action plan is about creating those opportunities.
Its about securing people’s jobs, creating careers. Building better a sustainable film industry.”
The Vision 2030 will result in a number of economic benefits resulting in increased capacity, creative and technical talent development, the creation of more jobs and more economic benefits for Malta, higher employment income for Maltese workers, better working conditions in a more structured and established industry, and higher gross value added for the Maltese economy.
This is the real value we want. A strong, resilient film industry, where it becomes the stage of opportunity, for the generations to come.
Malta is renowned as an ideal film making destination within the global film sector, with versatile locations, the world renowned water tanks, excellent crews, a professional and highly respected workforce, and a strong cash-rebate programme for international productions.
Film Commissioner Johann Grech highlighted that although there are encouraging results, there is certainly much more to do for Malta to remain amongst the top countries in Europe for film making. In the coming years, incentives for local producers will be strengthened, as they will get to benefit from the cash rebate programme when producing for the local market.
“We will be helping the local indigenous sector, improving the production value of their works, ensuring that the local workforce from producers, directors, writers, technical crew, and front of camera are paid fairly for their work.”
He mentioned that local producers have the potential to co-produce with our European counterparts and beyond and thus, the co-production fund shall not be limited only to co-producing in Malta but also to local co-producers producing abroad. These incentives, will provide Maltese producers the opportunity to access even larger pools of production financing.
Amongst other things, the Film Commissioner mentioned that the Malta Film Commission will be working with all stakeholders, and the Film Week is an opportunity to star having serious conversations about different aspects of the Malta Film Industry, including training facilities and incentives, further promotion about Malta as a destination and its locations and further programmes to promote the local industry.
The Film Commissioner pledged that the Malta Film Commission will keep committed to create opportunities for all, create further career opportunities, and work towards having a better and more sustainable film industry.
