Experienced falconer Lawrence Formosa will be presenting a fascinating short talk about falconry, in between screenings of the film Al Maha, Through the Eyes of a Falcon. Sponsored by Emirates, the documentary will be shown at St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity, Valletta, at 1pm; 2pm; 3pm; 4pm and 5pm, on both Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 February 2008. Admission is free of charge and on a first come first serve basis.

Lawrence Formosa will be displaying one of his birds of prey, a hybrid falcon. He will give a brief history about the conservation of these magnificent wildlife creatures.

“The Saker falcon is becoming one of the most endangered birds of prey. I hope we will be able to accomplish similar conservation of birds in Malta, as I wish to contribute too.

This can easily be done with peregrines. If we introduce them again, give them the chance to survive and breed, we can have them flying back as they were in the past. If this realistically happens, it will be a precious gift for the future generations,” said Mr Formosa.

Paul Fleri Soler, Emirates Manager for Malta and Cyprus, said: “Visitors attending the film show, Al Maha, Through the Eyes of a Falcon, will be able to see a close-up of the hybrid falcon, which most often is only seen on wildlife television documentaries. We are confident that the audience will not only enjoy the stunning scenery of Al Maha, but also appreciate the beauty of the Saker falcons and their conservation, as seen in the film.”

Al Maha, Through the Eyes of a Falcon, showcases an amazing journey of young falcons, including their birth in a falcon breeding centre in Dubai, their preparation and training for returning to the wild and finally their release in the wilds of Uzbekistan. The documentary was shot at Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa and the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR).

The 30-minute documentary was produced by the German public TV broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk, with the collaboration of His Highness Sheik Butti bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum and wildlife filmmaker Christian Herrmann, and sponsored by Emirates Airline.

Group bookings can be reserved by sending an email to [email protected].