FILM
Gozo Film Festival
The fourth edition of the Gozo Film Festival wraps up today with a family-friendly programme at the Citadel in Victoria.
This includes the screening of three short children movies followed by a workshop on film-making for five- to 11-year-olds, a workshop on stop-motion film-making, a programme of family friendly short movies and the screening of the 2002 French blockbuster Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra (certified PG) by Alain Chabat, which was partly filmed in Malta.
Entrance is free. For more details, visit the event's website and Facebook page.
The Gozo Film Festival is sponsored by the Cultural Heritage Directorate, Ministry for Gozo.
Anime Festival
The Eden Cinemas in St Julian’s is currently hosting its first-ever Anime Festival, showing feature-length films of some of the most popular anime series of all time, including Dragon Ball Z, Demon Slayer and My Hero Academia.
All films are dubbed in English or are screened in Japanese with English subtitles.
Dragon Ball Super: SuperHero is currently being shown. For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page and the Eden Cinemas website.
Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero. Photo: Bird Studio/Shueisha/Sony PicturesFEASTS
Eight localities are celebrating their feast this week.
Dingli, Mġarr (Malta) and Żebbug (Gozo) are all celebrating The Assumption of Our Lady; Birkirkara is fêting St Helen; Poala is celebrating Our Lady of Lourdes; Kirkop is honouring St Leonard; Santa Luċija is holding the feast of St Pius X; and Sliema is celebrating Stella Maris.
Check out the social media pages of their respective local councils, parishes and band clubs for details of their celebrations.
The statue of the Assumption of Our Lady of Mġarr. Photo: Raymond Muscat PhotographyMUSIC
Il Pagante at Aria
The Italian dance/electronic group Il Pagante is performing at Aria in Iklin tonight.
Founded in 2010, the group is known for such hits as Radical chic, Adoro, Portofino and Super Cafoni.
The event starts at 10.30pm. For tickets, click here.
Edoardo Cremona and Roberta Branchini of Italian group Il Pagante. Photo: FacebookOTHER EVENTS
Logos Hope back in Grand Harbour
The world’s largest floating bookfair is back in Malta for the second time this summer. It will be open to visitors from today until August 28 – except for Monday − from 3 to 9pm.
The entrance fee for individuals aged between 13 and 64 is €1, while adults over 65 may enter for free. Children aged 12 and under may also enter the ship for free, as long as they are accompanied by an adult.
There will also be a children’s event titled The Greatest Treasure on August 26 between 6.30 and 8pm.
The Logos Hope entering Grand Harbour earlier this summer. Photo: Jonathan BorgLunchtime tours at Palazzo Falson Historic House Museum
Palazzo Falson in Mdina is hosting a series of guided lunchtime tours until the end of August.
The tour highlights objects linked to the Order of St John, but one may also admire the rest of the museum's significant collection that is specifically displayed to capture and reflect the life and taste of Captain Olof Gollcher.
Bookings at a suggested donation of €10 can be made by e-mail on bookings@palazzofalson.com or by calling on 2145 4512. One may also arrive at the museum 10 minutes prior to the tour, which starts at noon.
Gustav Café is open to guests for refreshments on the rooftop terrace of the museum.
Kixott Photo Week
Kixott in Mosta is holding an event for photography enthusiasts who would like to exchange or sell second-hand photography equipment and even prints.
A qualified repair technician is in attendance to check one's gear and offer advice about film cameras.
The event wraps up today. The bar/bookshop Kixott is located at 169, Triq il-Kbira, Mosta. For more information, e-mail info@kixott.com.
Photo: Facebook/KixottEXHIBITIONS
Ceramic Art Collective
A collective exhibition of ceramic artworks is on at the Cittadella Cultural Centre Hall 2 in Victoria.
Taking part are Mario Sammut, Charles Sammut, Hermine Anne Sammut, Phyllis Camilleri, Daniel Scerri, Joan Haber, Christian Formosa, Paul Scerri, Katrin Formosa, Victor Agius, Chris Saliba, Mariz Cassar, Nadia Haber and Sylvana Magro.
The exhibition comes to a close on August 26. For more information, visit the Gozo Ceramics Festival Facebook page.
A Healing Journey: Redefining Environmental Challenges
An art exhibition aiming to promote minorities and the environment is open in Victoria.
A Healing Journey: Redefining Environmental Challenges forms part of a project which visual and conceptual artist Mary Rose Saliba is conducting with a group of senior citizens in Gozo named SMART.
The study is envisioned towards the self-discovery of dormant talents, as well as enriching the emotional well-being of minorities and marginalised people to help them integrate and gain their voice in society.
The SMART team’s exhibition features mixed media artworks that include samples of earth, soil, rocks, stone, dried leaves and tree trunks which the group have collected during walks in the countryside as part of the project.
The exhibition is open until August 28 at the Banca Giuratale, Independence Square, Victoria. One may visit from Monday to Friday between 7am and 2.30pm and on weekends and public holidays from 9am to noon.
Polymorphs
Claire Farrugia is presenting her first solo exhibition at The Palm Court Lounge at The Phoenicia, Floriana.
Consisting of works on paper, panel and canvas, Polymorphs shows the artist's concern with the fact that the online portrayal of imagery that the public consumes is often far from the truth; most of the time, it is actually a made-up form of reality.
The exhibition focuses on ‘human polymorphism’, with the subjects presented in a natural stance and with a filter using a mobile app.
Curated by Charlene Vella, the exhibition also includes a section featuring the artist’s self-portraits.
Polymorphs is open throughout the month of August. Entrance is free. For more information, visit the exhibition’s Facebook page.
Works by Claire Farrugia on display at the Palm Court Lounge, The Phoenicia. Photo: Facebook/Claire FarrugiaPrehistoric pottery making
An exhibition presenting the results of a scientific investigation of materials and techniques used in pottery making during Maltese prehistory is open at the National Museum of Archaeology. The exhibition runs until the end of August. Opening hours: Monday to Sunday from 9am to 4.30pm.
The Gold of Malta
Martine Rigaud-Busuttil is exploring the art of lace-making through a series of oil paintings at the Art Galleries of the Malta Society of Arts in Valletta.
The Gold of Malta features sketches and paintings the artist created during a year she spent with the lace-makers of the society during the time of COVID-19.
The exhibition runs at Palazzo de La Salle, 219, Republic Street, Valletta, until September 7. Opening hours: Mondays and Fridays: 8am to 7pm; Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays: 8am to noon and 4 to 7pm; and on Saturdays: 8am to 1pm.
For more information, visit the Malta Society of Arts website and Facebook page.
Bellum in Mundum
After a seven-year hiatus, artist Tonio Mallia is presenting a new series of works that reimagine a world shaken beyond its tipping point, where the tensions between the human and natural world are no longer at play, nor are they creative or life-giving; they have devolved into a tyrannical order in which mankind becomes subject to its own freedoms.
The exhibition, curated by Giulia Privitelli, runs at MUŻA – Museum of Fine Arts in Valletta until September 11. For more information, visit muza.mt.
One may also read the Times of Malta interview with the artist.
Folly of Man by Tonio MalliaLost in the Ether
Nicole Sciberras Debono is presenting her first solo exhibition at Il-Kamra Ta' Fuq in Mqabba.
The artist brings forward esoteric narratives of a domestic familiarity, with notes on online and para-social relationships, and the reflections of a young woman in a contemporary society.
The exhibition runs until September 12. Opening hours: Mondays to Saturdays from 6am to noon and on Sundays from 7am to noon. Evening hours are announced weekly on Il-Kamra ta' Fuq Facebook page.
Amelia Saint George works at The Phoenicia
Artist Amelia Saint George is exhibiting a number of her sculptures at The Phoenicia, Floriana.
The sculptures are in clay, bronze and mixed media, and portray animals, which Saint George is particularly well-known for, as well as some humorous sculptures that are more closely associated with her portrait sculptures.
Saint George, who has made Valletta her home, is an established, award-winning contemporary sculptor who has exhibited locally and internationally. She is also the author of several books on diverse subjects and holds sculpting lessons in her Valletta studio.
One may visit the exhibition at The Phoenicia's Deep Nature Spa throughout August and at the hotel's reception area in September.
One of Amelia Saint George's sculptures at The Phoenicia.Willie Apap – Colour and Light
A retrospective exhibition of works by Willie Apap (1918-1970), considered one of Malta’s leading exponents of 20th-century art, is currently on at Il-Ħaġar – Heart of Gozo Museum in Victoria.
The 70 works on display feature portraits, landscapes and still-lifes, dancers, human figures, sacred and ethnic works in oils and inks, and are accompanied by a lavish 100-page GEMS # 20 catalogue.
The exhibition, curated by Maria Cassar, runs until October 10. Opening hours are from Monday to Sunday from 9am to 5pm. Entrance is free.
The exhibition is supported by the Malta Tourism Authority and the Gozo Ministry’s Cultural Directorate. For more information, visit the museum’s Facebook page.
whatson@timesofmalta.com