Cinemas upgraded through government investment

Addressing a press conference at the Embassy cinema complex in Valletta, minister for justice and culture Owen Bonnici launched the Skolasajf Film Festival.

The festival will offer some 8,500 Skolasajf students the chance to watch 11 different films at one of six different cinemas – the Embassy, Eden Cinemas, Empire Cinemas Tal-Lira, Don Bosco and Citadel cinemas in Gozo.

The festival is the result of collaboration between the cinemas, Creative Europe Desk Malta and KRS film distributors, as part of an agreement with the government on a scheme announced in its budget two years ago.

The investment scheme would see €500,000 used to upgrade cinema theatres in six different complexes by replacing the screening equipment with new, digital technology. The upgrade prevented the closing of the theatres and offer higher quality film viewing for Maltese audiences.

The agreement also included collaboration on the gathering of data about cinema and cinema audiences in Malta, free cinema tickets for NGOs assisting vulnerable groups, subsidized rates for the elderly attending events organized by local councils or residential homes, and the promotion of Maltese and European films.

“The public and private sectors have worked together to draw larger audiences to cinemas and offer them a greater diversity of films,” Bonnici said. “It is the government’s wish that more Maltese and European titles will be screened in future editions of the festival.”