Maltese-Amercian filmmaker Alex Camilleri’s second feature, Żejtune, has been acquired by Films Boutique for world sales, Screendaily has reported.

Set in Malta, Żejtune follows Mar, a woman determined to claim her family inheritance and leave the island for good. However, an encounter with elderly troubadour Nenu leads her into the world of Maltese folk music, tempting her to rediscover a love for Malta.

The film features Michela Farrugia and Nenu Borg in the starring roles, as well as real artists from the Maltese folk music scene.

It is currently in post-production and is set for an autumn premiere. It is produced by Camilleri himself, along with Ramin Bahrani and Oliver Mallia.

The production companies involved are Noruz Films from the US, with Malta’s Pellikola and Solari Productions, in co-production with Germany’s One Two Films and ZDF/Das Kleine Fernsehspiel.

It is being created in collaboration with Arte, in association with Films Boutique and Nizza Films, with the support of Screen Malta Arts Council, the Doha Film Institute and the Ministry For Gozo.

It is Camilleri’s second feature film, after the much-acclaimed Luzzu, which debuted at Sundance in 2021.

Are you excited for this film’s release?