It’s not every day that one is given the opportunity to interview a living legend. So even as I sat there next to Sophia Loren, the whole thing was so surreal that in my head all I could think of was, “wow, I’m sitting next to Sophia Loren”.

Ok, the word “interview” is stretching it considerably; I was allowed exactly two precious questions while her press agent kept signalling to keep it as short as possible.

It all started when Norman Hamilton invited me on a press trip with five other journalists for the inaugural cruise of MSC Splendida from Barcelona, which was being christened by the godmother of the MSC line, Sophia Loren. He told me that two Maltese journalists would be given a chance for a one on one interview with La Loren, and my name was drawn. To put you in the picture, there were over 200 journalists from all over Europe on board the cruise liner, which was being billed as “the most beautiful ship in the world”. As we waited (and waited) for our turn along with the others who had been selected, it became apparent that the TV stations were being given first preference, followed by radio stations and then the “lowly” print media.

After almost two hours it was our turn, but not before we were given several whispered instructions to please keep it brief, as the lady was very tired. As we stepped behind the alcove where she was meeting the press, her first words on spotting us were hardly encouraging, “How many more journalists are there? I’m dead tired, please I must know, how many more?” All delivered in a tone of exasperation in her rapid native Italian.

Not a very good start to an interview, and I must admit that I was taken aback. If I were inclined to be haughty, I would have walked out of the room at being treated so shabbily. On the other hand, I reasoned, what must it be like to sit there with cameras and tape recorders in your face for hours as you answer an endless stream of questions that you’ve probably answered a million times before?

She is 74 years old, has been in this business for over 50 years, and is an icon from the glory days of old Hollywood. So if anyone has the right to be a diva it’s Sophia, right?

I was startled as well at the sight of her make-up, heavily caked as it was to withstand the glare of the cameras. My first impression of her was a gaunt face, large lips and huge eyes lined with kohl pencil behind her trademark specs. It was, I confess, almost scary, but when I saw photos of her later, I realised that the dramatic make-up made it possible for her photogenic features to be perfectly captured by the camera.

After those two minor shock waves, she turned out to be gracious enough.

When I asked her how she has always managed to cope so well with her fame, while today’s young celebrities seem to fall apart so quickly by turning to drugs and alcohol, her answer was measured and thoughtful.

“I grew into my fame quite gradually, so I had time to adjust to it slowly. However, many of today’s young stars become famous overnight. It all happens too fast, too soon and they do not know how to handle it. No one prepares them for it.”

Dressed with her usual elegance in exquisite white, she explained her philosophy about always looking one’s best: “I think you have to take care of yourself; you have to always think about the people that are meeting you and that they have to enjoy the sight of you. Mostly I do it for others, not for myself.”

That was it; over before it had even started, and we were whisked out of the room. Two hours later, Sophia Loren, this time dressed in classic black, met the entire press corps in the official press conference. Mayhem broke out as all the photographers onboard went into paparazzi mode. She sat there patiently with her back ramrod straight in a regal pose for a good 10 minutes as they flashed their bulbs and called out her name. Then, there were more questions, which dealt with her iconic status, her film career and, inevitably, her beauty secrets, which she dismissed with a shrug.

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Her answers tended to be succinct and even abrupt, and it was clear that she was weary. Only one Spanish journalist really broke through her reserve when he cheekily presented her with home-made pastries. She threw back her head in a hearty laugh. Later that evening, she still had the three-hour christening ceremony to sit through, which she did with admirable poise.

I realised I was witnessing first-hand what it must be like to be impossibly famous. And I wondered if she was ever tempted to send everyone to hell and do a Greta Garbo “I vant to be alone”.

Terrible week

From the luxury and glamour of the MSC Splendida I was brought back to reality with a thud.

My absence from the island meant that I had to catch up on five day’s worth of news all at one go. Reading about all the tragic deaths and accidents in one sitting was a very unnerving experience. As I write this, the news came in of a man who was electrocuted. Is it only my impression or do a number of dramatic events always tend to happen in quick succession?

It is the murder of the woman by her husband, however, which I cannot stop thinking about. The domestic violence on the island seems to be growing, as can be evidenced by all the court reports, and the number of domestic disputes that end up in murder is also on the rise. It seems to me that we have an unusually high number of men on this island who are very quick to “lose it”, turning on their girlfriends and wives with a knife and stabbing them in a rage of blind, senseless fury.

There is a commendable programme for men who have been found guilty of domestic violence run by Appogg called the Perpetrators’ Service that provides counselling. The men are challenged on their beliefs about abuse towards women and taught to take responsibility for their behaviour. However, I have been informed that this programme is voluntary, not compulsory, unless it is stipulated by the court or is recommended by the probation officer in charge.

Too often, it seems that aggressors are given a fine, told not to approach their spouses again and sent on their way. Perhaps in every case that comes before the courts, perpetrators should be forced to undergo professional treatment to teach them how to cope with their anger before it continues to escalate to the murder stage. Usually, men who end up killing their wives have a history of slapping them around, which is why the women leave in the first place. When a woman leaves, she is still vulnerable no matter where she goes, especially in a tiny country like ours. If her ex-husband really wants to hunt her down and kill her, (“If I can’t have her, no one can”), it will only be a matter of time. There have been endless examples of this over the years.

He will find her. He will kill her. Then he will turn himself in to the police, because in his sick mind, his “mission” has been achieved. The woman becomes another tragic statistic, the man is incarcerated and the children have suffered a double blow.

But if nothing is done to treat those who are showing the first signs of a violent nature, this cycle will simply keep repeating itself.

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