Marsaxlokk set for film shootout scene
Boats and road vehicles will be removed from three locations for a few days in July to make way for crew facilities
Marsaxlokk Bay is set to be transformed into the scene of an adrenaline-fuelled shootout for an upcoming TV or film production, according to a recent planning application.
Local production company Latina Pictures has applied for ‘general filming and temporary set build and prop set-up’ in three locations close to the waterfront.
The application covers the use of small pyrotechnic devices designed to simulate bullet hits on water, walls and part of the set.
Plans for the area include the removal of boats and road vehicles and the installation of dressing areas and crew facilities.
The production for which the application has been submitted is not mentioned in the proposal but that is not unusual for the film industry, which typically keeps the name of productions under wraps until closer to release.
Filming is set to take place between July 8 and 10, with preparatory work on July 6 and 7. The site is due to be cleared by midday on July 11.
The application is not a full planning application but a development notification order, which grants successful applicants permission to carry out minor alterations or additions without needing to go through the entire planning process.
The application has been approved.
Blockbuster productions
Malta has been the site of numerous blockbuster productions in recent decades, most notably the Gladiator films.
Last week saw the release of the trailer for Netflix’s third instalment of the Enola Holmes film franchise, which was shot extensively in various locations across Malta.
And the second series of British TV series The Assassin was recently filmed in localities including Valletta, Floriana, Rabat, Attard, Mellieħa, Marsascala and Siġġiewi.
Productions shot in Malta can benefit from a government cash rebate, which can see up to 40% of the costs for most local expenditures, as well as crew and equipment brought in from the EU, refunded.
While the rebate has attracted scrutiny, with critics arguing the money could be better directed towards homegrown productions, proponents say the scheme is a key driver in attracting productions to Malta and contributing to the economy.
A 2023 Times of Malta fact-check concluded that too little local research existed to determine whether Malta’s rebate is a net positive or negative for the country.