MEIA - PRESS RELEASE - 5TH NOVEMBER 2021

The associations con rm that the story as reported in the media is a reality, highlighting that a signi cant group of prominent Maltese Film Makers have repeatedly expressed the need for solid action. These concerns, which have been voiced for years, have reached breaking point recently with the announcement of the Film Awards and its allocated budget, when compared to the funding given to the local lmmakers.

Both associations tried to reach a solution to these grievances prior to the submission deadline. Whilst there seemed to have been a verbal agreement, no commitment for action was forthcoming. Yesterday, MEIA received in writing from the Malta Film Commission that it is in agreement with 4 out of the 5 requests. The MEIA and MPA acknowledge that this is de nitely a welcomed step in the right direction which will certainly help Maltese Film.

Discussions on the outstanding point regarding meaningful industry consultation remain ongoing.

The 4 points which are now in agreement with the Malta Film Commission include:

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Additional budget for Maltese lm makers to produce lms

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The re-introduction of the co-production funds,

Removal of the De Minimis rules, and

The removal of recoupment clause from Screen Malta.

This latest development does not change the fact that a number of lmmakers, who felt it would be morally incorrect to participate in the Film Awards when essential priorities were being overlooked, have now missed their deadline to be included in the Film Awards. The MEIA and MPA further note that the points also require a further commitment from the Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Finance in order to be implemented.

Malta will not have a real industry unless drastic steps are taken. In comparison to the rest of Europe the situation is untenable. Whilst the budget to support Maltese lm is only EUR600,000 per year, the budget for the Malta Film Awards is EUR400,000 and this underlines the crux of the problem. Such an imbalance was and still is insulting to lmmakers, artists and crew who work tirelessly to produce creative work for Maltese and international screens.

Filmmakers, their crew and cast at the awards deserve to celebrate what is rightfully theirs.

One night of celebration is always welcomed but priorities need to be placed in the right order.

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Both associations acknowledge that a lot has been done to attract international lms to the island. Failure to act upon such agreement between all parties concerned will leave local lmmakers with just an expensive marketing campaign and the same issues will continue to haunt the industry when the red carpet of the Malta Film Awards is rolled back into storage.

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The Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association (MEIA) and the Malta Producers Association (MPA) stand by their members, many of whom are major Maltese lmmakers who have recently con rmed that they have opted not to submit their lm nominations and/ or voluntarily withdrawn their submission from the Malta Film Awards.

L-Assoċjazzjoni Maltija għall-industrija tad-divertiment u l-arti (MEIA) u l-Malta Producers Association (MPA) jgħatu l-appoġġ lill-membri tagħhom, li ħafna minnhom huma produtturi tal-films Maltin ewlenin li reċentement ikkonfermaw li għażlu li ma jissottomettux in-nominazzjonijiet tal-films tagħhom u/jew irtiraw volontarjament s-sottomissjoni mill-Malta Film Awards.

L-assoċjazzjonijiet jikkonfermaw li l-istorja kif irrappurtata fil-mezzi tax-xandir hija realtà, filwaqt li enfasizzaw li grupp sinifikanti ta’ produtturi tal-films prominenti Maltin ripetutament esprimew il-ħtieġa ta’ azzjoni immedjata biex jiġu indirizzati numru ta’ nuqqasijiet. Dan it-tħassib, li ilu għaddej għal numru ta’ snin, laħaq punt kritiku dan l-aħħar bit-tħabbira tal-Malta Film Awards u l-baġit allokat, meta mqabbel mal-fondi mogħtija lill-produtturi tal-films lokali.

Iż-żewġ assoċjazzjonijiet ippruvaw jilħqu soluzzjoni għal numru ta’ lmenti qabel l-iskadenza tas-sottomissjoni. Filwaqt li deher li kien hemm qbil verbali, ma kien hemm l-ebda impenn għal azzjoni konkreta. Ilbieraħ, il-MEIA rċeviet bil-miktub mingħand il-Malta Film Commission li taqbel ma’ 4 minn 5 talbiet. Il-MEIA u lMPA jilqgħu dan l-iżvilupp u jirrikonoxxu li din hi direzzjoni tajba li żgur ser tgħin lill-Film Malti. Id-diskussjonijiet dwar il-punt pendenti rigward konsultazzjoni sinifikanti mal-industrija għadhom għaddejjin.

L-4 punti li issa huma bi qbil mal-Malta Film Commission jinkludu: - Baġit addizzjonali għall-produtturi tal-films Maltin biex jipproduċu films - L-introduzzjoni mill-ġdid tal-fondi ta' koproduzzjoni, - It-tneħħija tar-regoli De Minimis u - It-tneħħija ta' klawżola ta' rkupru minn Screen Malta.

Dawn l-aħħar żviluppi ma jbiddlux il-fatt li numru ta’ produtturi tal-films, li ħassew li jkun moralment skorrett li jipparteċipaw fil-Film Awards meta prijoritajiet essenzjali kienu qed jiġu injorati, issa tilfu ic-cans tagħhom biex jiġu inklużi fil-premijiet. Il-MEIA u l-MPA wkoll jinnutaw li l-punti jeħtieġu wkoll impenn ieħor mill-Ministeru tat-Turiżmu u l-Ministeru tal-Finanzi biex jiġu implimentati.

Malta mhux se jkollha industrija reali sakemm ma jittieħdux passi drastiċi. Meta mqabbla mal-bqija tal-Ewropa, is-sitwazzjoni preżenti mhux sostenibbli. Filwaqt li l-baġit għall-appoġġ tal-film Malti huwa biss ta' EUR600,000 fis-sena, il-baġit għall-Malta Film Awards huwa ta' EUR400,000 u dan jenfasizza l-qofol tal-problema. Żbilanċ bħal dan kien u għadu insult għall-produtturi tal-films, artisti u tekniċi li jaħdmu bla heda biex jipproduċu xogħol kreattiv għall-iskrins Maltin u internazzjonali.

Il-produtturi tal-films, l-ekwipaġġ tagħhom u l-cast jistħoqqilhom jiċċelebraw dak li hu tagħhom bi dritt. Lejla waħda ta' ċelebrazzjoni hija dejjem milqugħa iżda lprijoritajiet iridu jitqiegħdu fl-ordni t-tajba.

Iż-żewġ għaqdiet jirrikonoxxu li sar ħafna biex jiġu attirati films internazzjonali lejn il-pajjiż. Jekk ma titteħidx azzjoni immedjata fuq il-ftehim milħuq bejn l-imsieħba kollha, l-produtturi tal-films lokali ser jibqgħu biss b’kampanja ta’ riklamar u l-istess kwistjonijiet se jkomplu jolqtu l-industrija anke wara li t-tapit laħmar tal-Malta Film Awards jerġa’ jitrembel lura fil-maħżen.