Expression of interest for Mediterranean Film Studios launched

Government will be publishing an expression of interest for the running of the Mediterranean film studios on Thursday, tourism minister Edward Zammit Lewis has announced.

The film industry has seen a 650% growth in investment in 2014, with €29 million being injected into the economy. This year's target is €100 million. The strategy of advertising Malta as a filming location is clearly working, with an unprecedented 9 films being filmed in Malta this year.

Zammit Lewis said that the EOI for the film studios  was "not a real estate project... every metre is to be used for the film industry." The EOI is expected to contain a condition that existing government commitments are honoured and that the government will retain its ownership of the studios. Malta has been heavily advertised in industry magazines as well as at the Cannes film festival. 

Film Commissioner Engelbert Grech said the Lands Department had intervened to reclaim the studios from their private operator, which had defaulted on rent payments, and then passed on the studios to the MFC. He said that there had been no one week without filming activity inside the studios since MFC finished upgrading the facilities. A 25% rebate on the amounts spent was being offered to film companies who made use of the facilities. 

Grech said the aim is to have prospective operators invest in a sound stage or possibly two - soundproof indoor sets where filming can continue in inclement weather.

"Malta was always a good film location. Now we need a place where filming can continue without interruption, during the shoulder months," said Grech.