Film Revelation, partly shot in Malta, released in UK

The film Revelation, partly shot in Malta over a period of two weeks, was released in the UK on April 12 and will be released elsewhere in Europe later in the year.

Producer Jonathan Woolf of Romulus Films Ltd told the Malta Film Commission that he was in discussions with Maltese distributors in the hope that the film would soon be viewed in cinemas in Malta too.

Revelation, which was also filmed in Rennes-le-Chateau in France, was shot over eight weeks in late 2000.

Malta was used for both interior and exterior locations, and filming was carried out in Valletta, Mdina, Comino, Mtahleb and Marsaxlokk. The locations doubled as a number of European countries, including Greece, Italy, France and the Holy Land, as well as Malta itself, featuring Grand Harbour, St John`s Co-Cathedral and Mdina.

In a letter to the MFC, Mr Woolf described the production company`s experience in Malta as "very good" and said it would strongly recommend the island to any film company.

The producer also said "we were very pleased with the result. We found the level of professionalism in the cinematic crafts to be very high and we were very warmly welcomed".

He mentioned the great weather in the month of November, which was considered to be an important bonus.

Although the production brought over to Malta its own heads of department, it employed a considerable number of Maltese for the art department, the camera team, the production office, as well as assistant directors and extras.

"We were very impressed, in particular by the quality and speed of the work carried out by the construction team at the Mediterranean Film Studios, who produced a very realistic Byzantine chapel exterior on the cliffs at Mtahleb," he said.

The production company showed its appreciation for also being allowed to film at Mnajdra, which doubled as the Temple of Venus, under strict supervision.

A sacrificial altar stone had to be constructed within the monument for the scene, and Mr Woolf said it was so realistic that while in place, tourists visiting the site failed to realise that it was not authentic.

Revelation is a mystical thriller, with religious overtones, starring Terence Stamp, Udo Kier and Derek Jacobi. It is centred around the search for an ancient religious relic, the Loculus.

Directed and scripted by Stuart Urban, it tells the story of the final search for the relic, which dates back to the time of Jesus, and its effect on the Martel family and the whole world.

Variety.com said the "production and costume design, like other technical credits, are very fine and the locations, especially in Malta, are put to atmospheric use".

The satanic adventure-drama is curiously watchable despite its lackluster dialogue, acting by numbers and frequent disregard for normal continuity, the website said.