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maltatoday | SUNDAY • 16 AUGUST 2020 5 THIS WEEK FILM Ephemeral Paradises by Enzo Piantanida artistic experiences for you so far? How have they informed your outlook on the process of storytelling, animation and filmmaking, and how will you bring this insight to bear during your 27Times Cinema experience? I think directing a project called 'All up in your business' for EDRi (a Bel- gium based NGO) and the current pro- ject I'm directing for another NGO, Ef- fervescent (UK based, Lonely Not Alone campaign) are very important projects for me. Even though they're not per- sonal projects, I enjoy the challenge of having to deliver a narrative within very specific limitations to craft an emotion- al story within a very short timeframe. So they've definitely helped sharpen my skills on trying to reach the core of a story and do away with anything that muddies the waters or is unnecessary. I think knowing what goes into mak- ing a film helps me appreciate what oth- er film makers try to do, and also gives me a sharper more analytical eye when it comes to judging films to see if they fundamentally work or not. Could you tell us a little bit about your upcoming animated short, Ouroboros? The short is still in its very early stag- es, and I'm about to start pre-produc- tion in the coming months. It's set in Malta and, to put it simply, it's about two sisters who struggle with the same addiction to consuming magical crea- tures while dealing with their very ten- uous and recently renewed relationship, all the while also trying to cope with the insidious cycle of emotional manipula- tion in families. I'm very excited (and nervous) about working on this project! Could you tell us a little bit more about the Maltese element of Ouroboros? How does Malta factor into its stories and visuals? Although it's set in Malta, this is not an important plot point. I set Ouroboros here because I feel very strongly about having a Maltese animation scene, and I want to bring our particular culture, aesthetic, language and problems to cinemas and festivals abroad. We are a very particular country, whatever you think of it, be it positive or negative, and I want us to leave our mark as a people on cinema. What do you make of the Maltese film and visual arts scene? What would you change about it? I'm a little out of touch with the local scene, but I have mixed feelings about it. On one hand I think the quality of the films and productions that are being made are only getting better and better so I'm very impressed and optimistic about the future for local talent, which I think is very important to nurture! On the other hand, it's very clear that there is a lack of interest from the authori- ties in nurturing this scene in Malta, as evidenced by the cancellation of the Valletta Film Festival (VFF), which is a huge blow to the Maltese film scene, and replacing it with any Hollywood blockbuster film that you could find on- line. The VFF is an incredibly important event for more than just watching mov- ies, but also for local professionals and amateurs to network and learn from professionals from abroad. Funding is also pretty poor in Malta. It's true that you can make excellent things with low budgets, but animation is particularly expensive so it makes producing Mal- tese animation more of a challenge than perhaps what you would find in other countries. I think there definitely needs to be more of a financial and cultural investment in the Maltese film scenes. We have a lot of talent and potential here, and it's a pity not to showcase it. What advice would you give to fellow up-and-coming Maltese animators/ visual artists/filmmakers? Now more than ever there are tons of resources online to teach yourself animation and filmmaking if universi- ty is not a viable option for you. Take advantage of that, take advantage of the people around you and don't hesitate to reach out to people you admire or want to learn from. Most people are happy to help. And most importantly, build a community of other people who also want to learn animation or filmmaking around you. You will learn and motivate each other, and I think this is definitely the most vital part to successfully start- ing: just feeding off each other's energy and love for animation. The selection process for Maltese can- didates for 27Times Cinema was coordi- nated by Spazju Kreattiv "I feel very strongly about having a Maltese animation scene, and I want to bring our particular culture, aesthetic, language and problems to cinemas and festivals abroad" Still from 'All up in your business' by Michelle Gruppetta, created for Belgian NGO EDRi