Malta’s Film Commissioner Johann Grech has refused to answer questions on whether British comedian David Walliams was paid €200,000 to host the Malta Film Awards. 

Lovin Malta has sent numerous reminders to Grech to clarify claims on Walliams pay package. However, he has refused to reply to those questions but instead flagged criticism comparing him to a tumour in the film industry. 

PN MP Jason Azzopardi asked Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo – who is responsible for the film sector – to confirm whether Walliams was paid over €200,000 and whether the entire awards night cost over €2 million. 

Bartolo refused to answer, only stating the information will be tabled in another sitting. 

A budget of €400,000 was originally allocated to the Malta Film Awards, a festival held to celebrate the history of the Maltese film industry.

However, it was tarnished by a boycott imposed by several film players, who decried the €400,000 as excessive given that €600,000 have been allocated to the entire annual budget for the national Screen Film Fund. Meanwhile, the decision to bring three ministers on to present awards has garnered criticism.

While Grech has refused to confirm whether the budget ended up going beyond the original budget, he previously said it will be “value for money” when questioned.

Matthew Caruana Galizia has submitted an FOI on the matter, as has Lovin Malta. It remains to be seen whether the request will be granted. 

What do you think of the silence on the issue?