Johann Grech Wasn’t Paid For His Acting Role In Film Festival Promo
Film Commissioner Johann Grech wasn’t paid for his cameo acting role in a short film that was screened for the Mediterrane Film Festival.
In response to a parliamentary question by PN MP Eve Borg Bonello, Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo confirmed that Grech wasn’t paid.
Other questions, including how much the film cost and whether the film can be published, remained unanswered.
Grech took part in ‘Once Upon A Time In Malta’ along with British actor and comedian David Walliams. The short film, which was displayed at the festival, features Grech handing out a trophy to Walliams and telling him to be careful with it.
Walliams ends up in a wormhole, travels back in time to the days of the Knights of St John, loses the trophy, and embarks on a quest to retrieve it.
The film, and the festival itself, has been criticised by several people within the industry. The Malta Producers’ Association (MPA) and Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association (MEIA) warned the festival overlooked the grassroots realities and problems of people working in the film industry.
However, the Malta Film Commission said the ultimate point of the Mediterrane Film Festival is to attract foreign film investment, and that it is crucial to differentiate between that goal and funding local productions.
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