Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1542534
3 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 11 JANUARY 2026 CULTURE Maltese filmmaker Sharon Sibyl Gatt wins Woman Filmmaker Award at Utah Film Festival MALTESE writer, director and producer Sharon Sibyl Gatt has won the Woman Filmmaker Award at the Utah Internation- al Film Festival in the United States for her short film De- code Me, marking a significant international achievement for Maltese cinema. The award recognises excel- lence by women filmmakers and was presented following the film's recent screening at the festival. Decode Me is a Maltese-led production sup- ported by Arts Council Malta and Aki Studio London. The film has continued to gain traction on the inter- national festival circuit, par- ticularly in the United States. Following its Utah screening, Decode Me is scheduled to screen next at the Poppy Jas- per International Film Festival and the Jersey Shore Film Fes- tival. In the United Kingdom, the film was selected as a final- ist at the Lift-Off Global Net- work London Festival, where it achieved the highest audience score in its category. It has also been selected for screenings in Italy and Paris. Written, directed and pro- duced by Gatt, who is a BAF- TA Connect member, Decode Me is a psychological drama inspired by the filmmaker's lived experience as a late-diag- nosed neurodivergent woman. The film centres on an autis- tic programmer and explores themes of identity, masking and self-acceptance. The cast is led by Mia Foo, known internationally for her role in the BAFTA Award-win- ning video game Baldur's Gate 3, alongside Megan Placito, who recently won Best Actress at the National Film Awards. The production team behind Decode Me is predominant- ly Maltese-led. Gatt serves in the triple role of writer, direc- tor and producer, with cine- matography by Maltese-British award-winning director of pho- tography Kris Brady. Costume and production design were led by Mattia Scicluna, whose work has featured on Drag Race UK, while make- up artistry was handled by Sandra De Gaetano, whose credits include Napoleon and Vogue. Behind-the-scenes pho- tography was provided by Andrew Mizzi, who has worked with inter- national brands such as Google and Meta. The film also involved key international col- laborators, includ- ing BAFTA-qualify- ing filmmaker Yorgo Glynatsis as mentor and producer, casting director Bailey Frances, and Aki Studio London. Decode Me is an official Maltese–UK co-production supported by Arts Council Malta and Aki Studio London. Teatru Manoel and MNO announce the full cast for Verdi's Falstaff TEATRU Manoel and Malta National Opera today announce the complete cast for their forthcoming production of Ver- di's Falstaff, bringing together an accomplished international ensemble for this new staging of the composer's final opera. The cast is led by Bulgarian baritone Kiril Manolov in the title role, a performer widely recognised for his commanding interpretations of Verdi across major opera houses in Europe, Asia, and the United States. He is joined by Italian baritone Vittorio Prato as Ford and Ital- ian soprano Elisa Balbo as Al- ice Ford, forming the dramatic core of the Windsor household with voices shaped by extensive experience in the Italian reper- toire. The young lovers are por- trayed by Maltese tenor Nico Darmanin as Fenton and Ital- ian soprano Letizia Bertoldi as Nannetta. Darmanin continues a strong international trajectory with appearances across leading European houses. The women of Windsor are completed by Welsh mezzo-so- prano Angharad Rowlands as Meg Page, a Rising Star of the Orchestra of the Age of En- lightenment for the 2025 to 2027 period, and Italian mez- zo-soprano Isabel De Paoli as Mistress Quickly, a role she has performed in major Italian and international theatres. Togeth- er, the ensemble forms the op- era's central comic engine, built on precision, timing, and vocal contrast. The supporting cast includes Scottish tenor Harry Nicoll as Bardolfo and Welsh bass bari- tone Wyn Pencarreg as Pistola, two specialists in character roles whose experience spans the Royal Opera House, Glynde- bourne, and leading UK and Eu- ropean companies. Maltese ten- or Stanley Joe Portelli completes the cast as Dr Caius, bringing local presence and continuity to the ensemble. The production is conducted by Federico Tibone, with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, and directed by Barbara Diana, with set and costume design by Stewart J Charlesworth and movement direction by Megan Frances. Together, the creative team and cast shape a produc- tion that places ensemble bal- ance, character detail, and mu- sical clarity at its centre. Falstaff will be performed at Teatru Manoel, Valletta, from 22nd February to 1st March 2026. Left to right: Kiril Manolov, Vittorio Prato, Elisa Balbo, Nico Darmanin, Letizia Bertoldi, Isabel de Paoli, Harry Nicholl, Wyn Pencarreg, Angharad Rowlands, Stanley Portelli