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8 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 5 SEPTEMBER 2021 INTERVIEW Malta has so many worlds to discover Malta is in the process of start- ing up its own indigenous film industry. But the domes- tic market – for films, as for everything else – is far too small to ever be economically viable. Simply put: for a Mal- tese film to be successful… it has to be exported; which also means it has to have some sort of international appeal. Does this place any constraints on the type of films we can actu- ally produce? Far from 'placing any con- straints', I would say it opens up a world of opportunities, at the end of the day. When we look at the European film mar- ket in general, what we see is a similar situation in some re- spects: in many countries, the local market is likewise small; so by definition, they have to export their films, too. But it's positive to export your work. It projects a voice for your country, on the inter- national stage. And besides: a good, well-told story will al- ways have an appeal across the board. I grew up watching movies from mainly Ameri- ca and the UK – because that was our 'film diet', so to speak – but I also read novels from all over the globe. That didn't stop me from empathizing with the characters. In fact, it often works the other way round. As Alex Camilleri ['Luzzu' director] recently said: some- times, it is in the most specific of stories, and the most specific of circumstances, that you see those universal ideas, feelings and emotions that cut right through international bounda- ries... Yet surely it would have a bearing on such issues as, for instance, whether a film gets funding or not. So to put the question another way: if someone has an idea for a Malta-based film, and applies for funding (as was the case with 'Luzzu') through the Mal- ta Film Fund… wouldn't that decision ultimately rest on the international marketability of the film in question? The way I see it: if you're writing a script, based on how you're going to market the film afterwards… then you're start- ing off on the wrong foot. First of all, you need to look at the story. Will it work? Is it com- pelling? What sort of audience would want to watch it? Those are the important aspects: at least, when it comes to putting the script together. Having said this: wearing my producer's hat… yes, I would naturally want to be sure that I can also market and sell the film afterwards. But I think that, at this stage of the game in Malta – where we are still try- ing to build a local film indus- try, from the ground up – we need to be looking at the types of story that we can actually tell; and at the quality of the films that we can realistically produce. Whether those films are exportable or not, howev- er will ultimately depend on whether they have that solid, creative flair… so it has to start with the film idea, really. As a producer, it is part of your job to assess a script idea, to determine – among other things – whether it has the po- tential to be successful on that level. Applying that to 'Luzzu': what was it, exactly, that you saw in this idea that had that sort of potential? There were various factors. When Alex pitched the idea to me… first of all, the original sto- ry idea was quite different from the finished product. It evolved quite a lot – as films always do - from the concept stage, to production. But some things remained constant throughout: from the outset, he [Alex] spe- cifically made mention of using non-actors; of real locations; of the importance of language… and from the outset, I had a gut feeling that those elements would work. But as the idea evolved, he rooted himself completely in the world of the Maltese fisher- man. And that is a very specific world – but also, one which has a certain resonance to all peo- ple, everywhere. The world we live in is, at the end of the day, changing on a global level. There are many people who feel left behind; and who are constantly on the backfoot. Because the systems and structures, that make up our world today, do not work for everyone. I would actually say they work only for a very specific set of people; but not for the rest of us out here. So really, anyone can empa- thise with [main character] Jes- mark, in the film. Because Jes- mark is not just 'a fisherman'; he is also anyone who has ever struggled to make ends meet; anyone who has ever doubted whether what they were do- ing, would lead to what they actually needed. Is 'doing what you love' – in this case, fishing – going to give you what you need, to survive? That is a big question for all of us… But of course, resources in Malta are extremely limited, when it comes to local film. So one other important element was the ability to adapt, in any way we could, to any given sit- uation. And luckily, Malta also has its advantages as a location. There is a certain – how can I put it? – 'joy' in our surround- ings. For instance, we shot in Marsaxlokk, Birzebbugia and Ghar Lapsi… and the natural materials we were given – in- cluding the carpenter's work- shop, where we filmed: which is exactly as it is in real life; the bay; the restaurants; the kitch- ens – none of it really needed any work at all... Malta has, as you say, its re- strictions; and one of them is that there may be limits to how much, or how often, the same locations can be used in film. The Grand Harbour, for instance, has been forever la- belled as 'Marseilles' by 'The Malta-made short film 'Luzzu' has wowed international audiences, and earned high praise from movie critics. Producer REBECCA ANASTASI explains why a low-budget film, about a humble Maltese fisherman, somehow managed to strike such a profound chord Raphael Vassallo rvassallo@mediatoday.com.mt JAMES BIANCHI