Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/969423
maltatoday SUNDAY 15 APRIL 2018 37 THE documentary 'Kanniz- zati Fishing' produced by Chris and Maurice Micallef has been awarded two prestigious awards for BEST DOCUMEN- TARY and BEST TRAILER in the 'New York Film Awards' which is an IMDb rated festi- val. This documentary captures the whole process of lampuki catching by the Maltese fisher- men until it is sold in the fish market at Marsa. The goal of this festival is to promote film- makers of all backgrounds and experience levels, and to sup- port and promote filmmakers who are impacting the critical issues of our times by produc- ing entertaining and enlighten- ing documentaries. This same documentary was nominated in four different categories for Best Documen- tary, Best Director, Best Pro- ducer and Best Voice Over in the Orinos Film Festival held earlier this year in Italy. Ma- nuel Cauchi was awarded with the Best Voice Over Award. Last year the Best Voice Over was awarded to David Atten- bourough for the documentary Planet Earth II: Grasslands, a BBC One production. Kannizzati Fishing was se- lected to be screened in other IMDb rated festivals which in- cluded Top Shorts Film Festival which was awarded the Honor- able Mention in the documen- tary section as it was classified in second place. It was also awarded Honorable Mention in the documentary section for placing second again and Best Trailer in the Festigious Film Festival which took place in Los Angeles and in the Los An- geles Film Awards in the Unit- ed States where it received yet again an Honorable Mention for placing second in the doc- umentary section. This apart from other awards in the Holly- wood International Independ- ent Documentary Awards for script writing and cinematog- raphy as well as other awards in the Accolade Global Competi- tion and IndieFest held in the United States. 'Kannizzati Fishing' will broadcast on ONE later on this year. The Micallefs have also t -date been awarded 213 awards in film making from which 167 are from international film and video competitions. This Week Film on Maltese fishing takes Best Documentary prize at New York Film Awards Polish Naval ORP Kujawaik bell conserved after 1942 shipwreck THE bell of the Polish Naval destroyer ORP Kujawaik has been recovered from its wreck located in Maltese territorial waters to be conserved by Heritage Malta and displayed for the appreciation of the general public. ORP Kujawaik was a British Type II Hunt-class de- stroyer, launched on 30 October 1940 and named HMS Oakley, and subsequently leased by the British Royal Navy to the Polish Navy in exile on 17 June 1941. ORP stands for Okręt Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej (Vessel of the Republic of Poland). While participating in Operation Harpoon near Malta on 16 June 1942, ORP Kujawaik struck a mine and sunk instantly, with the loss of thirteen Polish sailors. In 2014, a joint Maltese-Polish team authorised by the Superin- tendence of Cultural Heritage commenced searches for the site, since its exact position was not indicated by the British Ministry of Defence. On 22 September 2014, the team made up of Polish explorers and Dr Timmy Gambin of the University of Malta, discovered the resting place of ORP Kujawaik, just off the Maltese shores. The team originally deployed a remotely operated underwater vehicle which provided footage that was compared to blueprints of the Hunt Type II escort destroyer. The discovery was reported to both the Maltese and Polish authorities, and was designated a historic shipwreck and is protected by local laws and international conventions. A commemorative plaque was placed on the wreck and a memorial was unveiled in Valletta. The team mapped the wreck in 3D in 2017, returning to the site to recover the ship's bell for conservation. The bell, covered with thick concretions, was retained within sea water until it ar- rived at Heritage Malta's Conservation Laboratories in Bighi, where it was placed in a desalination tank. Herit- age Malta's qualified conservators investigated the bell's condition and researched further the possi- ble interventions to be undertak- en. Throughout the past year the water used within the desalina- tion tank was gradually changed from saline to deionised water, with weekly readings of the conductivity kept on record. Following various cleaning tests to remove the concre- tions, the conservators opted for an innovative process of using a surface heating method, specifically used for such metal items. The process was successful and most of the external and internal coverings were removed. This process revealed the inscribed name and date: HMS OAKLEY 1941, which was not visible before. It was custom in such cases that a ship's original bell, in- scribed with the original name and launch date to be retained. This was so since practically during such bel- ligerent times, there was no time to spare and wait for a new replacement bell to arrive. The iron clapper was found to be still in situ, while the iron suspension bracket bolts fasting said bracket to the bronze bell were loosened without any damage in order to be treated separately. Now that the bell and its iron attachments have been generically cleaned, the process will continue. Analyses of the metal composi- tion of the bell will be undertaken at Heritage Malta's Diagnostic Scientific Laboratories. This will provide further information to con- servators regarding the treatments to be undertaken. The bell will be gradu- ally dried after desalination, further me- chanical cleaning undertaken, with the eventual stabilisation of the different metal components and finally pro- tective coatings applied. It will still be monitored to ensure that no further deterioration develops. Currently, Heritage Malta is taking the necessary provisions for the bell to travel on loan to Polish museums later this year after said treatment process is concluded. Upon its return to Malta it will subsequently be displayed at Heritage Malta's Maritime Mu- seum, to be appreciated by the general public and for future generations to remember the history of this forsaken ship. Harriers are small eagle-like birds of prey. Along with millions of other birds, thousands of harriers leave Africa in spring, cross the Mediterranean Sea and head for mainland Europe to find territory and build a family. Birds of prey avoid big stretches of sea, so they try to cross where the sea is narrowest. Malta lies in one such narrow neck of sea, so we get a fair share of raptors soaring overhead. Of the four harrier species that we get, the pallid harrier is for me the most stunning, especially the male bird. Watching this large silver- grey bird glide silently and ghost-like over green meadows is one sight that takes some beating. The pallid harrier (M. bagħdan abjad) is far from common, and the few that soar over us are all the more precious for their scarcity. Sadly, this bird's grace and rarity often spell its undoing, at the business end of the hunter's gun (who by the way are supposedly out hunting quail only). It's hard to imagine that it could escape anyone's attention, with stalls along the roadside and the immensely popular Festa Frawli in Mġarr last weekend, but its strawberry time on our islands! Even though the strawberry is not actually a local product, it has been introduced very successfully and is now a famous seasonal fruit that many look forward to with glee. However, as one of the horticultural experts that we interviewed during our AgroKatina research project explained, it is one of the most demanding crops, and requires a lot of inputs in terms of water, fertilizers and pesticides. Luckily, due to popular demand, some local organic growers have also started cultivating strawberries. You can find them for example at the lovely Vincent's Eco Farm O'Veg shop in Zebbiegħ, on the road to Mġarr. FoE Malta published the AgroKatina report about the local fruit & vegetable supply chain, and the pocket guide highlighting when local fruits & veggies are in season. Find out more on www.foemalta.org/ agrokatina, where you can also order a free copy of the pocket guide. 605. PALLID HARRIER Visit Friends of the Earth's website for more information about our work, as well as for information about how to join us. You can also support us by sending us a donation - www.foemalta.org/donate GREEN IDEA OF THE WEEK 508: Find out more and try our tasty artichoke recipe: http://foemalta.org/fab/strawberries/ What's in season - April Text Victor Falzon Photo Aron Tanti