[WATCH] Report breaking down expenses of short film featuring Commissioner will be released soon: Clayton Bartolo

A report on the expenses of the Mediterrane Film Festival, including a 10-minute “promotional video”, is yet to be released with no date or figure given by the Minister of Tourism Clayton Bartolo.

Replying to questions by this newspaper, Minister Clayton Bartolo said a report on the expenses that were spent on controversial video featuring Malta Film Commissioner Johan Grech and British actor David Walliams, is currently being carried out and will be released soon.

The video, which Bartolo on Friday insisted is promotional, and titled ‘Once Upon A Time in Malta’, was premiered during the Malta Golden Bee Awards. The 10-minute film employed around 130 crew members and was led by a foreign director, according to sources.

The film has not been released publicly.

It caused uproar within the local film sector, with artists and film makers slamming the commission’s spending, stating it should have been used to fund the Maltese film scene.

On Friday, the minister stressed the importance of understanding the results of these investments, stating that they cannot be viewed in isolation. He said the government aims to provide an overview of how public funds contribute to the economy, particularly through initiatives like the Mediterranean Film Festival.

Questioned on statements made by the President Myriam Spiteri Debono during the film awards, calling for accountability and transparency in the spending of public funds, he said government has always been clear on the spending of tax payer money.

“That is why we release these kinds of reports,” he said.

The festival, which has been a focal point for Malta's film promotion efforts, will see its results documented in a report commissioned by the ministry for a second consecutive year.

The film commission has been under the spotlight over the past years. Last August, the Nationalist Party formally requested the Auditor General initiate an investigation into an expenditure of approximately €137 million by the Maltese Film Commission.

It was also revealed earlier this year that Mediterranean Film Festival cost the Maltese taxpayer €3,790,776 according to an economic impact assessment tabled in parliament.