Maltese film producers have taken their complaints about Film Commissioner Johann Grech to court, holding him and the Malta Firm Commission responsible for damages they are suffering as a result of his actions. 

The Malta Producers’ Association filed a judicial protest on Monday against Mr Grech in his personal capacity and in his official capacity as Film Commissioner, as well as against the Malta Film Commission. 

They argued that despite revelations that he was allegedly promoting a select group of service providers to international film producers, no action was taken.

Last week, the association called for his immediate resignation following a story published by The Shift claiming that the Malta Film Commission was selectively promoting certain local film production companies to international producers, to the exclusion of everyone else in the industry. This, the MPA said, was “shocking but hardly surprising”.

“The writing has been on the wall for some time now with many industry stakeholders becoming increasingly concerned that the film industry seems to be doing well only for a chosen few.

"It should go without saying that the private sector must be allowed to function without any interference from partisan interests. The fact that a government authority is wilfully and maliciously interfering with the livelihoods of private citizens is corrupt and utterly unacceptable in a democratic nation in the EU,” it said.

In its judicial protest, the MPA said the Film Commission was still inexplicably refusing to allow access to an online directory with a list of film producers.

It said that foreign film makers who shot their films in Malta benefited from an advantageous tax rate if they employed local operators so those who are not on the list stand to lose. 

It therefore demanded the immediate publication of the online directory listing all film personnel and to retain a full list. 

Lawyer Eve Borg Costanzi signed the judicial protest.