David Walliams helped market the Maltese film industry abroad, Clayton Bartolo said after the British Comedian’s €120,000 paycheck for hosting the Malta Film Awards in January 2022 was revealed earlier this week. 

“The Maltese film industry needs to market itself not only locally but also internationally. David Walliams was part of a wide marketing package,” tourism minister Bartolo said on Wednesday. 

He said initial indications show 2023 was a “record year for films,” adding that marketing has helped grow the industry.  

The reason why legal action was needed to reveal Walliam’s invoice was only because of confidentiality clauses, he said. 

“If we break those confidentiality clauses, then we have the reputation of our country at stake, and I wanted to make sure I do not undermine our reputation,” Bartolo said. 

“If we lose our reputation, the investment we are making in sound stages and financial incentives would be for nothing”.

Walliams's six-figure fee to host the awards was revealed only after a two-year legal battle that ended last month after a judge ordered the Malta Film Commission to reveal how much it paid him.

The taxpayer-funded payout has been criticised by some of Malta's leading film-makers, and the Nationalist Party, who calculated that Walliams was paid more every minute than a minimum-wage earner is paid in a month.

“You have to appreciate that contract negotiations are not one-sided, but to arrive at an agreement, you need both sides to discuss. Practically every contract has a confidentiality clause, and I believe they should be respected,” he said.

“On the other hand, I believe we should respect the court’s judgement,” he said. 

Mediterrane film festival cost to be published in ‘coming days’

Bartolo said that a report showing the investment and return from the 2023 Mediterrane Film Festival will be published in the coming days. 

“There, we will show the results achieved as a country and even the investment that took place,” he said.

Asked to clarify if how much money was spent on the festival will be included in the report Bartolo said: “yes of course, 100 per cent”. 

Bartolo said he has “full confidence” in Malta Film Commissioner Johann Grech, who has achieved results that “speak for themselves”.

“Let’s not forget that we inherited an industry that was not even good as a part-time job, and now we have an industry that employs thousands of people full-time”. 

Asked if it was unjust that the local film industry was given €600,000 in the same year Walliams was paid €120,000, the minister said funds for the local film industry increased in 2023. 

“But let’s not mix things,” Bartolo said. Walliam’s deal was tied to international marketing to attract foreign productions to Malta. 

The local film fund has now been passed on to the culture ministry.