Falkun Films was set up by Pierre Ellul in 2007. Anika Psaila Savona joined in 2009. They have just wrapped their first feature film together, Carmen. Paula Fleri-Soler reports
Carmen is a charming story set in a Maltese village in the early 1980s. The protagonist is a woman who rediscovers life and love after a lifetime looking after her brother, a priest. Inspired by true events, the story follows Carmen, played by the wonderful British actress Natascha McElhone, on a transformative journey which also brings change to the village in which she lives.
“Carmen is bright, quirky, magical, funny and at times a little sad,” says Anika Psaila Savona. “It is written and directed by Maltese-Canadian filmmaker Valerie Buhagiar. Valerie was inspired by the life of her aunt who from a very young age was required to go and live with her brother, a priest, to take care of his domestic needs for the rest of his life. When we first read Valerie’s script, we knew that this was a story that had to be told. Natascha loved it too and with her on board it gave the project a whole new dimension.”
Since inception, Falkun Films has gone from servicing international productions filmed in Malta, to producing the acclaimed 2011 documentary Dear Dom, to the fully-fledged production Carmen. It is a journey that must have had its fair set of challenges.
Producer/director Pierre Ellul agrees. “Falkun Films is one of the main production service companies actively working to attract foreign productions to shoot in Malta,” he explains. “We also work on developing and producing our own material. The two aspects co-exist. Producing our own projects presents its own challenges but the experience we have gained on foreign productions helps us to be able to handle our own productions.
“Film is a collaborative medium and by working together with Aiken Heart Films in Canada we were able to put together all the elements necessary to produce Carmen,” adds Ellul.
“Carmen’s shoot went very well. We put together some of the best film professionals on the island. It was like a family. The cast was mainly Maltese apart from Natascha and two Canadian actors. You will see some familiar names but also a couple of new ones. They all embraced the opportunity to work on a set like this; and their performances are wonderful.”
When we first read Valerie’s script, we knew that this was a story that had to be told
The crew filmed in Gozo for two weeks, while in Malta filming took place in Żebbuġ with a couple of days in Valletta. “Gozo still retains the charm which unfortunately much of Malta has lost with all the construction going on,” says Psaila Savona. “Living and working in Gozo was an absolutely beautiful experience. The people and the authorities there were extremely accommodating. We shot in several locations which would normally be gruelling but it was seamless.”
“We faced some difficult moments in financing the film, and we remain touched till today for the incredible support we received,” says Ellul. “Other than that, the most important aspect is safety. Everyone on set was comfortable in the knowledge that they are working in a safe environment. We filmed on a process trailer with a motorbike, out at sea, and we also had underwater scenes; all exciting, fun and challenging scenes to shoot.”
Falkun Films has been a player in Malta’s burgeoning film industry for many years. The two producers agree that while there has been improvement lately, the pace at which things move is far too slow when comparing Malta to other small European countries.
“There are various issues but the most significant is access to finance to shoot our own stories. Iceland, with a smaller population than Malta, has a yearly film fund of €7.84 million,” says Psaila Savona. “Compare this to Malta’s film fund which only recently has been increased to just €600,000. It is more than it was over the past 10 years, but it is still far behind.”
“Film is a powerful medium to tell stories and showcase our culture and identity,” says Ellul. “If we want to tell our stories, we need to invest in film. Malta has always focused on servicing foreign productions. The result is that opportunities for local filmmakers are extremely limited.
“The servicing industry is also sporadic in nature, where it is feast or famine. We need to find ways in which people can advance and build on their careers as true professionals. Servicing productions and making our films don’t have to be mutually exclusive. In countries with a developed film industry they are co-dependent.”
Both Ellul and Psaila Savona stressed that the Co-Production Fund through Film Finance Malta, the Malta Film Fund and the excellent film incentives managed by the Malta Film Commission were instrumental in making Carmen happen.
“Without every one of these elements we simply would not have gotten so far. We shall continue to strive to tell our own stories and help push the industry forward with the knowledge and experience we’ve acquired,” Psaila Savona adds.