Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1547431
3 FILM maltatoday | SUNDAY • 1 NOVEMBER 2026 New documentary challenges anti-gender narratives and calls for wider public HOW do the stories we are told about gender shape our atti- tudes towards others? When do stereotypes become prejudice, discrimination or violence? And what happens when mis- information is repeated so often that it begins to be accepted as fact? These are among the questions explored in Inventing the Ene- my: Breaking the Gender Nar- rative, a new documentary pro- duced by LGBTI+ Gozo, which will receive its debut screening on Thursday, 5 November 2026, at 6:30 pm, at the Malta Society for Arts in Valletta. The screening will be followed by a moderated panel discus- sion examining how harmful gender narratives can be chal- lenged through education, pub- lic dialogue, institutional coop- eration and more responsible communication. The documentary forms part of Beyond the Narrative: How Misinformation Fuels Gen- der-Based Violence, a pro- ject led by LGBTI+ Gozo and funded by the Commission on Gender-Based Violence and Domestic Violence through the Together We Empower pro- gramme. Beyond social media: Bringing difficult conversations into the mainstream For LGBTI+ Gozo, the doc- umentary emerged from a growing concern about the cir- culation of anti-gender and an- ti-LGBTQIA+ misinformation, particularly online. The organisation has experi- enced difficulties disseminating awareness campaigns through social media platforms, includ- ing restrictions affecting the reach and promotion of cer- tain content. These challenges prompted it to explore other ways of reaching audiences, particularly through traditional media. Rather than producing a docu- mentary exclusively for LGBT- QIA+ audiences, LGBTI+ Gozo deliberately set out to engage the wider public, including peo- ple who may have little direct contact with transgender or gender-diverse individuals, or who may never have questioned the messages they encounter about gender. Through personal testimonies and professional contributions, Inventing the Enemy examines how patriarchal expectations and rigid ideas about mascu- linity, femininity and gender identity influence relationships, opportunities and perceptions of others. It also offers an insight into the everyday realities of trans- gender and non-binary people, the consequences of stigma and exclusion, and tensions that can arise even within communities campaigning for equality. The film's central argument is that anti-gender narratives do not harm LGBTQIA+ people alone. The same stereotypes that prescribe how men and women should behave can re- inforce unequal power relation- ships, restrict personal freedom and contribute to environments in which discrimination and vi- olence become more likely. From stereotypes to gen- der-based violence The documentary explores the connections between misinfor- mation, harmful social norms, marginalisation and different forms of gender-based harm. It brings together lived experi- ences and professional perspec- tives to consider how prejudice can become normalised, why some individuals face particular vulnerabilities, and how educa- tion and early intervention can help prevent harmful attitudes from escalating. Rather than treating gen- der-based violence solely as an issue of responding after harm has occurred, the project asks audiences to examine the be- liefs, assumptions and power structures that can contribute to violence in the first place. A panel discussion focused on action The premiere will be followed by a panel discussion bring- ing together perspectives from public institutions, academia, education, social services and the LGBTQIA+ community. The event is expected to in- clude addresses by the Minis- ter responsible for Equality and Civil Rights and the Commis- sioner on Gender-Based Vio- lence and Domestic Violence. Discussion will focus on the persistence of harmful gender stereotypes, the barriers faced by people experiencing discrim- ination or violence, and the role of schools, professional institu- tions, policymakers and civil so- ciety in preventing harm. Importantly, the event is in- tended to produce more than a discussion of the documentary itself. LGBTI+ Gozo hopes to estab- lish partnerships that will ena- ble Inventing the Enemy to be screened on national television and within educational institu- tions, workplaces, professional training programmes and com- munity organisations. The organisation is also offer- ing to accompany screenings with facilitated discussions and workshops, allowing different audiences to engage with the is- sues raised in the film. An appeal to broadcasters and the media LGBTI+ Gozo is encouraging television stations, radio broad- casters, journalists and media organisations to engage with the project and consider how the documentary's messages can reach audiences beyond the screening venue. The organisation believes that traditional media can play an important role in bringing com- plex and sometimes polarising conversations into the public sphere, providing space for in- formed discussion rather than sensationalism or misinforma- tion. The documentary is intended to become a lasting education- al resource, helping audiences recognise harmful narratives, question stereotypes and un- derstand the human conse- quences of prejudice. LGBTI+ Gozo to premiere Inventing the Enemy: Breaking the Gender Narrative in Valletta on 5 November, followed by a panel discussion bringing together policymakers, academics, professionals and community voices