Keith Albert Tedesco, a local Film Director, has reflected on the “insane, topsy-turvy process” to create his latest movie – Uwijja – holding it up as an example to the Malta Film Commission and Malta Film Commissioner Johann Grech that there is talent on the Maltese islands.

He discussed the self-funded, micro budget, Maltese film, which will be premiering in Malta on 25th March.

He stated: “There isn’t much left to say about how impossible it is to make indigenous films [in Malta], due to the lack of Government structure and public finances put in place.”

His retort to this impossibility, he says, is Uwijja, a film that “highlights the absurdity within the driving culture in Malta.”

Indeed, he states that “the film was made in the exact opposite way a film is normally produced… and for that reason, I am humbled and saddened by the insane, topsy-turvy process.”

The film was produced with “hardly any budget, barely any crew, and just pure grit from starving actors and skilled artists,” Mr Tedesco said, while also thanking ANOMALY Ltd for helping in the postproduction of the movie, and the cast and crew for their sacrifices.

Adding to his message to the Film Commission and Commissioner, he stated that there are stories on the island, aside from just Hollywood ones.

Issuing a warning: “I sincerely hope that promises are kept, and things change/adapt before more locals join me after being forced to leave the Islands.”

The state of Malta’s struggling film industry has been a particular point of contention locally due to the controversial Malta Film Awards last week.

The event was boycotted by several of the island’s leading filmmakers, who slammed the cost of the event when compared to the annual budget set aside for the industry.

Concerns at the state of the industry were also raised by those attending, with one winner, actor Joe Azzopardi, using his acceptance speech to appeal for better funding of the local film industry.