New guidelines to ‘boost professionalism’ of Malta’s film industry

Film registers will be set up in Malta with the intention of raising the professionalism within the local film industry. Film Commissioner Engelbert Grech announced that registers will be set up for approved service providers, crews and service companies, and that those on it will be required to have the necessary skills, training or track record.

This is part of a draft set of legislation to regulate the film industry that the Malta Film Commission has recently launched for consultation with industry stakeholders.

The new laws will also see foreign productions given added incentives to use the services of local companies, employ more local crew and actors, and new work regulations will be published to ensure that employment law is fully adhered to and that local crew members enjoy the same work conditions as their foreign peers.

“Malta needs to retain the competitive edge it enjoys while at the same time ensure that all aspects of the film sector are governed by the best industry practices,” tourism minister Edward Zammit Lewis said.

With regards to the indigenous film industry, as from this year the Malta Film Fund budget will be increase from €250,000 to €300,000. Grech stressed that the priority will remain to favour quality over quantity, and that the commission will soon be organising further training initiatives for local film makers.