Anyone driving along the Naxxar Divine Mercy Sanctuary this week would have noticed a queue of people dressed in black standing outside, including what looks like a priest, waiting to be let into the church.

But aren’t churches currently closed as part of the restrictive measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus? They should be opening on Sunday, right?

This scene has caused many to scratch their head. The massive trailers parked along the road just outside the church, and along the Trade Fair Grounds round the corner, provide a clue: it is a movie set. 

The sanctuary, located in the heart of San Pawl Tat-Tarġa, is currently serving as the backdrop for the filming of a funeral scene as part of an Irish TV series. 

There are currently four movies and TV series being filmed across the islands of Malta and Gozo – as the film industry continues to recover from the slowdown caused by the pandemic. 

Movie sets are all following strict COVID-19 safety measures, with officers appointed by the health authorities on site at all times. Cast members wear masks and are tested regularly, a spokesperson for the Irish series said. 

Throughout the years, Malta has managed to attract a number of high-profile film productions.  In a recent article published in Times of Malta, Malta Film Commissioner Johann Grech said the commission was working to turn the industry from a seasonal one to having back-to-back productions throughout the year.

He said the local film industry kept working, even during the tough times of the pandemic.

Since July 2020, with the re-opening of airport and ports, Malta has been servicing film and TV productions including the blockbuster movie Jurassic World: Dominion and the series Foundation, one of the biggest TV projects in Europe, with over €10 million spent in Malta in just four months, creating over 1,000 jobs for crew members and extras.