Simon Sansone, Chairman of the Malta Producers’ Association, said the group was surprised to learn the film/TV industry was not included in a list of industries eligible for additional financial relief aimed at helping businesses through the COVID-19 related disruptions.

The MPA initially welcomed the latest measures announced by the Prime Minister as it was implied that the film/TV industries are included.

“However, the MPA was surprised to learn… that the film/TV sectors do not seem to have been included in the list of sectors presented by Malta Enterprise as being covered by the measures (in Annex A),” its Mr Sansone said in comments to The Malta Business Observer.

The exclusion (from Annex A) could be a result of the NACE classification used by Malta Enterprise and the EU with regards to the film/TV sector. The MPA was yesterday awaiting clarity on the matter.

“Given that the impact on the industry has been so catastrophic, its survival is dependent on adequate, direct assistance being granted to its working crew and personnel, otherwise there is a serious risk that there will be no industry to relaunch the other side of the pandemic,” he said.

The MPA expects the authorities to communicate with its stakeholders and film/TV personnel to take stock and let them know what is happening.

Hundreds of film crew and freelancers are currently left with all productions on hold and an uncertain future.

Last week, Prime Minister Abela announced the first waves of financial aid measures, broadly consisting of tax deferrals, soft loan provisions, subsidisation of employee wages of impacted organisations of up to two-days per week and aid to parents whose work has been impacted by the pandemic.

This is an extract of a feature which appeared in the March edition of The Malta Business Observer