The Malta Producers Association has submitted a formal complaint to the Ombudsman against Film Commissioner Johann Grech.

Earlier in March, the producers took their complaints about Grech to court, holding him and the Malta Film Commission responsible for damages they are suffering as a result of his actions. 

The association had called for Grech’s 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”.

In a statement on Tuesday, the MPA said that since the claims were first made, little had happened. Grech remained in office and there was no investigation.

“This can only be described as favouring the message that impunity reigns supreme,” the MPA said.

It said that although Tourism Minister Julia Farrugia Portelli had appointed RSM Malta to carry out an operational review of the Film Commission, given what was at stake at this moment in time, this was secondary.

Such a review fell far short from investigating the evident wrongdoing “of a man who has changed the Film Commission into his fiefdom”, working for the benefit of a few. Although this was a time of crisis, corrupt practices should still be dealt with, it insisted.

The MPA said proof would be presented to a proper independent investigation once the Film Commissioner was removed.
 
It said that while the film industry was in complete shut-down worldwide due to COVID-19, this was the perfect time for Malta to straighten up the industry and set things back on the right track.