Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1363129
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 18 APRIL 2021 4 FILM THE first feature film adapta- tion of the award-winning Mal- tese novel A Vipers' Pit (Is-Sriep Reġgħu Saru Velenużi) is set to hit cinema screens later this year. Set in 1984 and 2012, the film treads the line between politi- cal thriller and family drama as it takes a hard look at the dec- ades-old relationships between big business and politics in Malta, a combination that can lead to deadly consequences. At its centre is a fictional as- sassination attempt on former prime minister Dom Mintoff's life and the impact the conspir- acy has on an inter-generation- al web of characters. The film was funded through a collaboration between the Na- tional Book Council, Shadeena Entertainment Ltd and Splash Screen Entertainment. Spear- headed by Shadeena Enter- tainment's Martin Bonnici, the project was the winner of the inaugural NBC Film Adapta- tion Fund in 2019. The production brought to- gether over 50 talented artists and technicians from Malta with the support of a num- ber of Cypriot talents. With a budget of approximately €250,000, the film had to make its way through the pandemic, shooting under strict condi- tions in the summer of 2020 with remote post-production work throughout the Autumn and Winter seasons. Martin Bonnici, Producer, Director and Cinematographer of the film, adds 'No debut fea- ture film is easy, but restric- tions placed on the production due to the ongoing pandemic did make things more daunt- ing at times. However, thanks to the National Book Coun- cil support, our dedicated and talented team and supporters like Neriku Catering and Mal- taBrew, we managed to put together a product we are ex- tremely proud of.' The adaptation process kicked off in 2017 with Teodor Reljić and Martin Bonnici working to turn the novel into a story fit for the screen. Initially slated for a spring 2021 release, the film currently awaits the lift- ing of COVID-19 restrictions to launch in local cinemas as it starts its festival journey. Shadeena Entertainment is a Maltese company established in 2010, working on devel- oping and producing original content, the production of commercials, and renting of film-making equipment to in- dependent filmmakers. Over the years, it has produced over a dozen short films and co-pro- duced a mini-series with Sajj- etta Ltd. 'Is-Sriep Reġgħu Saru Velenużi' is the company's first feature film production. Award-winning Maltese novel Chris Galea as Noel Sammut Petri