Bonnici defends Mediterrane Film Festival: ‘Everyone benefits’

Culture Minister Owen Bonnici has defended spending on the Mediterrane Film Festival, saying the film servicing industry contributes greatly to the country’s economy.

“Everyone benefits from these productions,” he said in parliament in reply to questions by Opposition MP Julie Zahra.

The parliamentary questions comes after it was revealed spending on the film festival totalled around €5 million. As what happens every year, the figure drew criticism from many, including Valletta Cultural Agency boss and Labour Party official Jason Micallef.

Bonnici said the film servicing industry in Malta, which refers to the production support and logistics provided to film and television productions filming on the island, saw 196 films brought to the country since 2016.

Quoting 2023 figures, the minister said the film servicing industry contributed to 18% of economic growth. “In the past five years, €1 billion and 15,000 jobs were generated,” Bonnici said.

He said crews are constantly “full up with work”, and the film festival was crucial in that success.

“I believe the Mediterrane Film Festival is able to put Malta on the radar of top film producers, and many of them were here. It tells them we are open for business,” he said.

On funding and grants for Maltese producers, he said government has gradually increased funding from €700,000 a couple of years ago, to €2 million this year.