Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1037786
maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 10 OCTOBER 2018 5 NEWS LAURA CALLEJA GUIDELINES published by an actors' guild had specifically told actors not to disrobe without a third party observer and only with full consent to such an au- dition or training session. The guidelines from the As- sociation of Performing Arts Practitioners (APAP) were pub- lished by the actress Pia Zammit on Facebook, in the aftermath to the guilty verdict against the vet- eran actor John Suda, who was handed a suspended sentence for sexual assault on a 22-year old actress during a training ses- sion after auditioning for a soap opera. The actress stressed the impor- tance of theatre companies to circulate these guidelines in or- der to create a safer environment within the industry. "Informa- tion is power. Awareness is pow- er," Zammit said on Facebook. Zammit told Mal- taToday that the guidelines were issued in the wake of the ac- cusations made against Suda in 2015, pieced together from in- ternational guide- lines, then tailored to suit Malta's industry "In my own personal experiences I have never encountered these sorts of problems within my own bub- ble and did not think it was a rampant issue within the indus- try… However, no actor should ever go into an audition alone let alone get naked, without trusted third party present at all times." The APAP guidelines state clearly that during the audition process no performer should be required to disrobe in any ca- pacity until after they have audi- tioned for the role in in question. Nudity is only to be permitted if a third party observer is present, and consent is given prior to the auditions by the performer. Only once the performer has been cast, and rehearsals for the production have started are performers required to be seen naked. It states this is only per- mitted for the purpose of filmed and/or staged scenes, and that performers are not required to be seen naked for most of the rehears- al period. During re- hearsals the ex- tent of the nu- dity should be negotiated be- tween the direc- tor and the per- former, along with a third party agreed to by both and put into writ- ing. In this period, nude and scenes of a sexual nature should be treated as if they were chore- ography; it must be planned and then negotiated by the perform- ers within the scene. Furthermore, nudity is not re- quired during improvisation ses- sions that include a contact, or when work shopping scenes for character development are be- ing executed unless it has been previously negotiated by the performer, with others involved in the scene. If upon negotiation the performer goes ahead with showing nudity or performing scenes of a sexual nature a third party should always always be present. The performer should be given a safe exist strategy which should allow them to back out of the production without repercus- sions if any portion of nudity or scenes of a sexual nature make the performer uncomfortable. The performer should be able to do so without fear of financial loss, and should be reimbursed for the amount given in the orig- inal contract. Zammit stressed the impor- tance of such guidelines. "For some these guidelines may be common sense, but for others especially those who are new to the industry they may not be…while APAP has shared the guidelines with companies within the industry, we have no legal standing other than that of an independent organisa- tion and cannot impose these guidelines." When asked how the indus- try can prevent these situations from happening again, Zammit emphasised the importance of introducing contracts between the performers and companies. "Contracts need to be become common practice in order to protect not only the actor but the production companies as well." Maltatoday spoke to Pia Zammit, an actress and activist on guidelines related to nudity on stage and film in the wake of John Suda's suspended sentence 'No actor should ever go into an audition alone' actress Pia Zammit insists John Suda Pia Zammit "In my own personal experiences I have never encountered these sorts of problems within my own bubble and did not think it was a rampant issue within the industry… However, no actor should ever go into an audition alone let alone get naked, without trusted third party present at all times" MATTHEW AGIUS TWO women have been jailed for drug offences in Gozo. In separate cases, both decided by Magistrate Joe Mifsud, Maria Concetta Vella and Dorothy Refalo were found guilty of trafficking heroin. Police had started to investi- gate Vella after a fatal overdose in Fontana in 2011, whilst Re- falo was arrested in 2016 after police, observing her move- ments, had spotted her throw- ing sachets of heroin out of her car. Magistrate Mifsud under- lined the serious nature of the crimes with which the women were accused, saying that the drugs trade was ruining Mal- tese and Gozitan society. Vella, 47, from Zebbug in Go- zo was found guilty of traffick- ing heroin in June 2011 and re- lapsing. The court condemned her to four years imprisonment and a fine of €2,500 and or- dered her to pay costs amount- ing to over €1,200. In the second sentence, Magistrate Mifsud sentenced 44-year-old Dorothy Refalo from Sannat to 16 months im- prisonment and a fine of €1000 after finding her guilty of pos- session of heroin and recidi- vism. The court requested the Director of Prisons to see that Refalo received treatment for her drug addiction problems. In both sentences, the court expressed its concern over the widening problem of drug abuse, calling it a scourge that is continuing to expand in a disgusting market that knows no boundaries, a particular risk to young people. He appealed to journalists not to impede police investigations in drug cases by revealing how the police work in such cases. This would be playing into the hands of the traffickers, he said. Two women jailed for heroin- related offences