Tonight kicks off the 10th Edition of the European Film Festival being organised by the European Commission Representation in Malta. This year’s edition sees a record 37 films from 26 countries. The four week European Film Festival will come to an end on 8 May, making it the longest film festival ever held in Malta.
The Festival opens tonight with the Maltese film Heroes in the Sky by Engelbert Grech which screening is by invitation only and will end with a film from Slovenia which currently holds the EU Presidency.
To celebrate the tenth anniversary of this Festival, the Representation is proposing to offer Maltese audiences not only films from the EU Member States but also from outside the European Union. 2008 is dedicated to the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue and the Representation is happy to contribute to this joint initiative of the European Union, the Member States and the European civil society and to link this very important annual event on our calendar to the celebration of diversity, not only within Europe, but also across the five continents from where this year’s films will be sourced.
This edition will feature a variety of films from twenty-two Member States including Malta as well as one each from Australia, China, Egypt and the United States. Twenty-four films are being presented at St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity which is the National Co-ordinating Body for the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue, and two at the Citadel Theatre, Gozo for Gozitan audiences.
Following last year’s success, again this year the Representation will present an evening of Maltese short, recently produced films followed by a forum discussion with the participation of foreign film directors whose films are being presented during the Festival. These are coming from Austria, Egypt and France.
The Festival also includes a film show for schoolchildren Life is Beautiful by Roberto Benigni. This is being presented in collaboration with KRS Film Distributors Ltd. The screening will be held on two consecutive mornings and will be followed by animated workshops conducted by animators of St James Cavalier. This will provide our children with an opportunity to be introduced to the appreciation of the art and science of cinematography at an early age.
As in previous editions, the 10th European Film Festival will also be contributing to raise funds for a good cause. This year’s proceeds will be collected in aid of The Daniel Delicata Memorial Association whose mission are the purchase, donation and/or implementation of items and services of entertainment, activity and comfort of sick children.
Tomorrow will see the screening of the Belgian drama film The Sleeping Child directed by Yasmine Kassari. The film is about Zeinab, a young bride who a day after her wedding in the countryside of north-eastern Morocco is left alone by her husband as he joins his countrymen to work clandestinely in Europe. Zeinab discovers that she is pregnant. Not wanting her baby to be born before her husband’s return, she prolongs her pregnancy. Time passes. Her husband does not return.
Patrons wishing to watch any of the films are encouraged to offer a small donation of e3 for each show for which booking is open as from today.
A souvenir booklet of the Festival is available on demand at the EC Representation in Malta at Ta’ Xbiex (tel: 2342-5100)