The government has launched the eighth edition of the Malta Youth Film Festival.
The annual festival is organised by Aġenzija Żgħażagħ and the Malta Film Foundation, in collaboration with the Malta Film Commission. It is open to budding filmmakers aged between 16 and 30.
Seven awards are up for grabs: best storytelling, best direction, most creative and original film, best acting, best cinematography, best overall film and the best film chosen by the public. The winner will also pocket €600.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday afternoon, Keith Azzopardi Tanti, parliamentary secretary for youth, research and innovation, said the awards were part of the government's national policy on youth.
"We shouldn't see the idea of competition as something negative. It can help to improve the quality of one's work, add motivation and foster learning. Film making is not just a hobby, but also an industry that increases economic value," he said.
Three previous winners of the awards, Bruce Micallef Eynaud, Jeremy Vella and Fabrizio Fenech, explained how the awards had helped their careers in the local film industry.
From left to right: filmmakers Bruce Micallef Eynaud, Fabrizio Fenech and Jeremy Vella. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier"When I started, I was making short films mainly to learn the craft, so I appreciated the opportunity to submit them to a festival and not just put them on YouTube," Vella said.
Micallef Eynaud, who has won Best Film three times, said the festival had always been supportive of his work, and that the awards had allowed him to take part in workshops abroad.
"It's also fantastic to see the work other people in our age bracket are doing and to grow your network. I think it's a no-brainer for local filmmakers to submit their work," he added.
"It's important that your work has an audience even if you're just starting out, to see how people receive it and react to it," said Fenech.
Maria Borg, the manager of Aġenzija Żgħażagħ's empowerment unit, said the awards were one of several initiatives by the agency aimed at developing the artistic skills of young people.
Malta Film Foundation founder Joyce Grech said the awards had overcome several obstacles over the years, not least the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It's not easy to write a film in a small country that does not have a film school. This festival offers opportunities to young people to gain confidence in themselves," she said, adding that the festival now had a mentorship programme where filmmakers can get one-to-one feedback on their work.
Submissions can be made on an individual or group basis by not later than April 25 at youth.gov.mt or maltafilmfoundation.com.