Malta Film Commissioner slams ‘politically motivated’ fearmongering

Film Commissioner Johann Grech has described ‘as politically motivated’ claims by industry insiders who warned that foreign film producers were being put off Malta by the excessive development, lack of trained and skilled personnel and rising rent prices.

Business Today reported last week that local producers and agents were claiming Malta was no longer an attractive and viable destination for foreign filmmakers because of these shortcomings.

But Grech dismissed the claims categiorically and said the accusations were “deliberately orchestrated by politically motivated industry insiders, who fail to take off their party colour-tinted glasses”.

He said this very dishonourable since such claims - probably aimed at harming him and the local film industry, he said - were proving harmful to workers in the industry and their families.

“It’s crazy,” Grech said. “I must have met with over 400 producers from across the globe, and none of them, not one, has complained about these so-called ‘industry challenges’.”

He also reiterated the government’s full commitment to making Malta’s one of the biggest film industries in the world.

“The government is one hundred percent committed to making Malta the best,” Grech said.

“After decades of inactivity, we have now received huge investments, which will help us reach and attain this goal,” said Grech.