Luzzu, directed by Alex Camilleri, will be the first Maltese feature film in the island’s history to be selected for the highly competitive World Cinema Dramatic Competition at the Sundance Film Festival, which will run from 28th January to 3rd February 2021.

The film stars real fishermen, Jesmark and David Scicluna, as well as actress Michela Farrugia, in the main roles.

It was produced by Rebecca Anastasi, Ramin Bahrani (The White Tiger, 99 Homes), Alex Camilleri and Oliver Mallia, and was made with the support of the Malta Film Fund and the financial incentives provided by the Malta Film Commission and the Government of Malta.

Asked about local support for seeing the production through, Ms Anastasi remarked:

"The Malta Film Commission believed in this film from day one. It was supported by the Malta Film Fund and the financial incentives provided by the MFC and the Government - these were truly invaluable. We couldn't have made the film without this support. We were also very lucky in that the local authorities and departments made things very easy for us. They knew we were a small, homegrown film, and we had many people go out of their way to help us. 

“No film can be made without a network of collaborators and a support system. Making a film is incredibly tough, requiring great sacrifice and hard work, but we were very fortunate to find immense support."

Sundance is America’s largest independent film festival. It was set up in 1978 by Robert Redford and has launched the careers of some of the world’s most highly-acclaimed filmmakers, such as the Coen Brothers, Quentin Tarantino, and Wes Anderson.

It has also showcased some of the best in American and world cinema, including Reservoir Dogs, by Tarantino; Get Out by Jordan Peele; Whiplash by Damien Chazelle; and Mike Newell’s Four Weddings and a Funeral.

“We couldn't be more thrilled. It's the first time in Malta's history that a film from our small island made it to Sundance, and I hope this means great things for the entire film community on the island,” says Ms Anastasi of the achievement.

Luzzu tells the fictional story of Jesmark, a struggling fisherman, who is forced to turn his back on generations of tradition and risk everything by entering the world of black-market fishing to provide for his wife and newborn baby.

This is Mr Camilleri’s debut feature film, which he developed over three years through in-depth research and rehearsals with this cast.

Jesmark and David Scicluna were key collaborators in helping Mr Camilleri capture an immersive look at the world of traditional fishing in Malta.

Luzzu was shot last year in and around Marsaxlokk and Birzebbuga, featuring many local faces and establishments from the area. Sundance praises the film as a “poignant, humanistic portrait of an eclipsing way of life” with Mr Camilleri’s neorealist approach finding “the quiet power of small moments and the underlying intensity of ordinary people pushed into untenable positions.”

The 2021 Sundance International Film Festival will run at select screenings in the United States and online for U.S. audiences, international industry and press. Luzzu will premiere in Malta in 2021.