Malta wants to become a reference point in Europe for the film industry.
On the occasion of the Jurassic World Dominion extended edition release, ComingSoon senior editor Tudor Leonte sat down with Malta Film Commissioner Johann Grech to discuss Malta’s growing predominance in the film industry.
Tudor Leonte: Malta plays such an important role in Jurassic World Dominion, and it appears that the movie plays a pivotal role in tourism in Malta since there are several raptor statues across the island. Were you expecting such a popular reaction?
Johann Grech: It’s a very positive reaction, not just from the locals but also from tourists visiting our islands, that’s why we are embarking on a program for screen tourism. We are investing heavily in the film industry, in film infrastructure, because it’s one of the economic elements in our economy. The film industry in Malta has been a success story throughout these years. Today, we are seeing the industry, which is growing further, growing every day, creating more jobs every day. So the films are not just then about jobs but also have an impact on the brand image of our country Malta. That’s why we are so proud. We are so proud that Malta features in Jurassic World Dominion. It’s an opportunity for us, not just for the film industry, but, as a country, as a whole, to make an impact globally. A lot of people today are more aware of Malta. The film industry is playing a part in the tourist aspect of Malta.
How is Malta currently attracting Hollywood productions?
Grech: We have a very strong outreach program. We have attracted quite a good number of big projects in our islands. We have hosted directors, producers, actors, and filmmakers. For example, in 1999, we had Ridley Scott for the second time. The first time it was here, he shot White Squall at the Malta Film Studios at our water tanks, which we are known globally for our water tanks. Then, in 1999, he shot Gladiator. He positioned us on the global map, as Colin [Trevorrow] did again today. He reinforced our position on the global map. We also had more projects like from Stephen Spielberg, filming Munich in 2005, where Malta doubled up for six different countries. Ridley came a couple of months ago with his film, Napoleon, where we doubled up for Paris. Also, we had Russel Crowe coming to shoot here Prizefighter, a British film. Our market is diverse. It’s mainly American markets, but also the U.K., European, and Canada. Then, we have other projects from other countries. We want to create a world-class film industry. That is our ambition. We have a clear plan and vision, and I think we will achieve it.