Film fund to focus on ‘quality not quantity’ – Manuel Mallia

Launching the “revamped” Malta Film Fund and the new Co-Production Fund, Minister for Home Affairs Manuel Mallia this afternoon argued that in a bid to turn scripts into actual productions, greater emphasis would be placed on “quality and not quantity”.

Citing lack of concrete results on the government’s investment, the national film fund was restructured in February. The modified fund, which would be based on the battle cries of quality and stability, will also include a €1 million co-production equity fund.

“The new funds will inject a new breath of life in the film industry and would be looking to engage the potential of Maltese talent,” Mallia argued while explaining that this objective was not being achieved, as scripts were not being turned into full productions, even though the then-PN governments had allotted the financial support.

“Since the national fund was introduced back in 2008, €900,000 were spent on 58 projects.  Only six films actually materialised,” the minister explained.

Addressing a press conference this afternoon, Mallia, argued that the Malta Film Commission and the national film fund had been “abandoned” under previous governments – culminated by the suspension of the fund in 2010.

“The government’s main goal is for these funds to be developed into actual productions, not just scripts. After being abandoned for many years, the film sector is now being envisaged as being a sustainable sector which can generate economic results,” he explained.

The film fund will be divided into a development and production funds, with a maximum of €30,000 for each film, a €10,000 increase than previous grants.

Flanked by Film Commissioner Engelbert Grech, Mallia explained that productions would be given full financial support, and productions would no longer have to pay 50% of the costs.

“The Development Fund will focus on scripts while the production fund will focus on the actual production of the film,” he said.

Applications for the development fund have been launched this month while the production grant would be launched in June. These in turn, would be processed within a month.

Benefitting projects would be then assigned a mentor from the film commission. The mentor would be tasked with assisting and overseeing benefiting projects.

On his part, Film Commissioner Engelbert Grech echoed the minister’s call for the funds to focus on quality, rather than quantity. Bemoaning Malta’s “unacceptable” results in the film industry in Europe, Grech insisted that the funds would serve the necessary platform to exploit the Maltese talent.