Mintoff on film: new documentary to tackle controversial former PM

A Falkun Films production – in local cinemas soon – will present the first ever feature-length documentary on the ever-controversial figure of Dom Mintoff.

19 February 2012, 12:00am
by Teodor Reljic

2 min read

Dear Dom, an upcoming documentary by Pierre Ellul, will encompass 50 years of modern Maltese history as it details the life and times of Dom Mintoff

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Pierre Ellul's documentary on Dom Mintoff is the first of its kind, being a feature-length take on the controversial former Labour leader's life, made possible with the help of the Malta Film Fund - perhaps an example of the kind of polished, high-quality-seeming films we can expect in the near future.

According to a blurb on the film's official website, the feature will set out to detail how Mintoff 'influenced and shaped a country and a people'.

Promising to show 'never before seen archive footage' and exclusive interviews with 'people who were affected by his actions', the film's tagline describes its subject matter as: 'the man who fought for change, but then fought against it'.

Ellul, claims to have been inspired by "the extreme emotions that Mintoff stirred and still stirs in people - both positive and negative". The film turns on the question: 'why' did Mintoff elicit such a reaction amongst people?

"I then built up from there looking at aspects of Mintoff's political persona and career, his actions, the effects and changes he had on Malta as a country and ultimately the Maltese people."

Ellul, whose father-in-law is Joe Psaila Savona - a former PN candidate in Labour-stronghold Zejtun - said that he made the film with "an independent mind. My father-in-law had absolutely no influence on the approach I took in my film. I find it sad that, in 2012, people still focus on these things. It would be a pity if certain assumptions are made just because of this," Ellul said.

Asked whether the film will make people put aside their sectarian political differences, and view it objectively, Ellul is adopting a 'wait-and-see' approach.

"This is anyone's guess! What I hope is that people will stop to think, even if for a very short moment, and look at our modern history from a different place from where they usually stand."

For more information and to view the trailer visit www.deardomfilm.com.

Teodor Reljić was born in Belgrade, Serbia and raised in Malta. He writes fiction across ...

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@saviour francis cachia. you have every right to defend Mr.Mintoff, but before you come to any conclusions, it's better that you know all the facts correctly. Dr.Sant just didn't want to be blackmailed by Mintoff. And since you seem to know many facts, can you tell us what was behind the visit to Libya that Mintoff and DeMarco made, after that most probably oil was found in Gozo???? This, my friend, was the real reason that brought down the government led by Dr.Alfred Sant. If you have any other explanations, please let us know.

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I hope that later on , this documentary will be issued on DVD so whoever wants to keep this documentary in his collection will be able to do so without having to obtain a copy of this film illegally.

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The mistake that Dom Mintoff must have done, will never erase the way he fought to change Malta from the church repression to a state that looks forward to modern concept. Unfortunately we are still years behind, but Joseph Muscat seems to have his mind set to guarantee and introduce further civil liberties. Mintoff was the type of love me or hate me, and his qualms with Dr. Alfred Sant that denied Malta of a five year Labour Government legislatures were that he did not practise his slogan: one step after another. He panicked and with all the challenges he had with the economic situation then, he even added the anger of Dom Mintoff. Sant wanted to annihalitate Mintoff from the Malta Labour Party story. Mintoff, a statesman who had always put Malta first and foremost, even by establishing and visiting countries on the other side of the world, typically China. If Malta was not integrated before to Great Britain it was not his fault, but the responsibility of the conservative elements in Malta, including the Church. That moved would have advanced us towards Europe many years before 2004. Has ever an other Maltese politician the guts to halt the famous Helsinki Conference in the best interest of Malta and the Mediterran? We old labourites look forward to see this film. We acknowledge what he did for us the working class people. Under the Nationalist Party now the working class people mingling with the middle class has been eradicated and people in poverty risk are on the increase.