Oscar-winning film director Gabriele Salvatores filming in Malta

Italian film director Gabriele Salvatores is currently in Malta shooting scenes for his new film, “The Invisible Boy 2”.

The film is a sequel to “The Invisible Boy”, which was very successful upon its release two years ago, according to the Malta Film Commission.

The Commission said that Salvatores has shared his satisfaction in filming these scenes in Malta, particularly in Mdina. He has reportedly also shown interest in shooting a film in the Maltese Islands, with a story focusing on the islands themselves.

Salvatores, who is famous for a number of films, including Mediterraneo, which won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film in 1992, has highly praised the local workforce in the film industry, the Commission said, especially their professionalism and high level of expertise.

Tourism minister Edward Zammit Lewis reportedly said that the choice of the Maltese Islands by such highly renowned directors to serve as their film location is a testament to the quality of the services offered by the local film-servicing industry.

On his part, film commissioner Engelbert Grech said that Malta’s recognition as a film location is increasing, as more productions were choosing Malta as their film location. “Salvatores’ production is one of four international productions that are concurrently being prepped or filmed in Malta,” he added.

The Commission said that it has succeeded to attract a significant number of productions to Malta through the country’s financial incentives and advertisement campaigns carried out throughout the year in the international film industry market. Presently, a delegation from the Malta Film Commission is in the United States for discussions with prominent film studios and producers to attract more films and serials to be shot in the Maltese Islands, it said.