Culture Minister Owen Bonnici recently took over responsibility for the film sector following the tawdry resignation of Clayton Bartolo. This begs many questions: Will the Film Commission operations come under proper scrutiny? Will local film-makers get more attention? But, perhaps just as importantly, will film sit well within this ministry?
Bonnici took this sector over soon after the National Audit Office reported on the commission’s operations between 2018 and 2022, concluding it had done a good job attracting big film productions. No surprise there. However, the real point was whether the outcome could have been better with stronger governance and transparency and whether the return on the 40 per cent cash rebate could have been higher.
In its reaction to the NAO report, the commission complained about limited resources and staff shortages. You can only hope that the €3.8 million 2025 allocation will ease this “situation”, perhaps spent to bring its governance up to scratch, to file audited financial statements on time and draw up a comprehensive business plan.
It is worth highlighting that the Film Commission had an approved budget of €1.8 million last year but spent almost three times that. The controversies about lavish film festivals, ego-massaging videos and star-struck Bartolo, grinning for the cameras, are all well-known.
And who or what is Film Finance Malta? There is a €500,000 budget for this entity headed by Film Commissioner Johann Grech but very little information. Who are the governors? How will this money be spent? Will there be governance? Will Bonnici pursue or drop this?
Meanwhile, millions were allocated to film infrastructure, especially the film studios, but important projects are yet to be concluded, such as the sound stage.
If it is needed, then let us just get on with it. If it is not, then drop the idea and move on.
However, the real money goes into film incentives, with €15 million spent in 2023, €36 million this year and €28 million allocated for next year. The NAO report wants to understand just how much this generated, as saying that it “gave a return” is simply not enough.
You may need to break an egg to make an omelette but just how many people did that €51 million egg feed?
Enormous billboards promoting film industry jobs are not enough, as are possibly spurious claims of how much of the €231.5 million between 2018 and 2022 was left in the Maltese economy. The NAO pointed out that this may indeed represent expenditure, employment, gross value added and taxation but warned “the employment figures do not necessarily relate to the creation of new jobs in the industry but consider new and previously held jobs which would have been lost without attracting new productions”.
Another aspect that has irked local film-makers is that their pleas fade into the shadows behind the bright spotlights. It remains to be seen whether the €2 million allocated for 2025 (made to sound much better by quoting €12 million over seven years) is enough to appease this important creative sector.
The final aspect: Where should the film industry be? Of course, it boosts awareness of Malta, which cannot be bad for tourism, but there is a limit.
Bonnici sees it as being a natural extension to cultural entities under his remit, such as ŻfinMalta, Teatru Malta, MUŻA and MICAS. Having a different ministry to oversee the film industry is a positive step, but we can only hope it transcends being a vanity project for politicians and their henchmen seeking their fleeting moments of fame alongside celebrities.