Foreign films shot in Malta generated €29 million in 2014

Successful year for Malta film industry during 2014

The Maltese film industry last year generated some €29 million from foreign films shot in Malta, tourism minister Edward Zammit Lewis and Film Commissioner Engelbert Grech said today.

Addressing a press conference at Birgu's Couvre Port during the lauch of the Malta Film Fund for 2015, Grech said that during the past year the country had seen positive results in the servicing sectors and in transferring skills from foreign film industries to our own.

“We hope to transfer these skills to produce high-standard Maltese films as well,” Grech said. “Our efforts this year will focus on promoting Malta as a good film location and restructuring the film fund in order to promote and incentivize more Maltese feature films, short film production for newcomers."

Zammit Lewis added that 2014 was also a very optimistic year for the industry, where it had a direct injection of close to €29 million from foreign projects.

“Compared to 2013’s €5million, this shows how much growth and strength the industry has gathered in this past year,” the minister said.

Zammit Lewis said that the government had overcome its own 2013 Budget predictions where the estimated growth for the film industry was predicted at 500%.

“The year 2014 saw the industry grow by 650%, which makes the industry one of the most successful economic niches of the year,” Zammit Lewis stressed.

Zammit Lewis added that the government expected the year 2015  to be even better than 2014, explaining that the government will be spending €1 million for the industry with the aim of further strengthening the industry and generating more opportunities for employment in the country.

“We will be giving in more grants and more reasons to give out these grants in order to attract as wide an audience as possible, as well as ensuring that Gozo will be given the appropriate training to be able to prepare for foreign projects. We will also be making a historical agreement with the Chinese film industry which will be producing its first movie in Malta.”

Zammit Lewis stressed that the Chinese industry is considered one of the strongest at the moment and that since the movie will be presenting Malta as Malta rather than another country, it will also help to boost tourism from the country.

“The government is very optimistic about this industry and we are sure it will provide opportunities for economic growth and job generation in our country,” Zammit Lewis said looking forward to the developments of the industry.