Malta Film Commission Launches Screen Malta to Fund Local Film Producers

17-08-2020

Malta Film Commission Launches Screen Malta to Fund Local Film Producers

By FNE Staff

VALLETTA: The Malta Film Commission (MFC) has announced a funding call for local film producers, under the auspices of the recently launched Screen Malta, administering a total annual budget of 600,000 EUR for the development, production and distribution of Maltese audiovisual works.

The fund aims to nurture local film talent, providing Maltese producers with financing through various support schemes. This is the first call made this year; the deadline for applications is the end of September.

Filmmakers can apply for funding for scriptwriting (up to a maximum of 30,000 EUR); development (up to a maximum of 50,000 EUR); and production (between 5,000 - 200,000 EUR). The Commission has also designed a new scheme for low-budget filmmakers, being referred to as the Screen Malta New Scheme (Low Budget), under which producers can apply for up to a maximum of 50,000 EUR, as an all-in-amount.

The fund also provides distribution support for festival fees (up to a maximum of 500 EUR for short films and creative documentaries; or 1,000 EUR for feature films); marketing and promotion (up to a maximum of 20,000 EUR); and international festival attendance (up to a maximum of 5,000 EUR).

Companies registered in Malta, whose primary activity is the production of audio-visual works, are eligible to apply. The production must also ensure that at least one of the leading creative team (writer, producer or director) is a citizen of Malta, or permanent resident on the island.

The film must satisfy at least one of the following Maltese cultural elements: the content and location of the story is based completely or partially in Malta; dialogue is in Maltese; or the location of the development, production and/or post is in Malta.

In the guidelines for the fund, the MFC said the evaluation criteria included the quality of the creative team’s previous work, and relevant experience; the strength and originality of the story; the quality and viability of the project, in financial terms, as well as its potential to reach a local and international audience.

The MFC has been administering a Malta Film Fund since 2008, with the amount distributed increasing over the past few years. In 2017, the fund was set at 300,000 EUR, increasing to 350,000 EUR in 2018, and to 600,000 EUR in 2019.

For more information, visit Screen Malta on the MFC’s official site.

Published in Malta