Still coming soon: Film production sound stage announced in 2020

Film Commissioner Johann Grech and Culture Minister Owen Bonnici are refusing to disclose details to Parliament about a long-delayed film sound stage—touted since 2020 as a flagship project for Malta’s screen industry, but which has yet to materialise.

Asked repeatedly by PN MPs Claudette Pace and Julie Zahra to state what happened to the plan for three sound stages announced in 2020 by Grech, Minister Bonnici replied on four separate occasions that “the information was still being compiled” – a common parliamentary tactic not to provide an answer.

In 2020, Grech, known for his excessive spending of public funds, announced that the government would construct three sound stages at Malta Film Studios in Kalkara to improve the film industry. He referred to the construction of these sound stages as “the missing piece” in Malta’s film industry infrastructure.

Grech reiterated his plan, which had never been funded, in various interviews with specialised foreign film magazines and newspapers that received public funding.

Research conducted by The Shift reveals that after five years of announcements and promises, the only outcome so far is a revised architect’s plan for the multi-million-euro facility.

This new architect’s plan, which Grech has described as a “blueprint”, was recently presented by the Film Commissioner as a backup during a challenging session with the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) where he was under scrutiny for his excessive spending.

To justify his claims of successfully attracting films to Malta, he displayed designs of his sound stage to Members of Parliament (MPs), acknowledging that his initial plans have now been scaled back from three sound stages to just one.

Still, he gave no concrete answers when faced with questions on how much it would cost, who would finance it, where the money was coming from, and when it would be completed.

Following up on his latest announcement, parliamentary questions were placed to Minister Owen Bonnici to elaborate, with some more concrete details, on the latest sound stage plans.

Bonnici gave no answers even when asked to name the architects who designed Grech’s latest ‘blueprint’ and how much they were paid.

Film industry sources have informed The Shift that Grech has been squandering time and resources on self-promotion and showcasing the “Labour government’s success”, in line with his work as the Party’s marketing consultant. Meanwhile, the much-anticipated sound stage remains “just another fantasy”.

“A sound stage is essential for film and TV productions, as it provides a controlled environment for managing light and audio,” they explained.

“Malta is already lagging behind, as numerous sound stages are vying for film productions in the Mediterranean, from Italy to Israel and Greece. However, Grech appears more focused on holding glamorous parties and taking pictures with film actors and producers rather than concentrating on the essential work.”

Both Grech and Bonnici have thus far refused to provide details about the latest millions spent on the 2025 Mediterranean Film Festival.

In addition to concerns about the misuse of public funds and questionable procurement practices, Grech has yet to clarify how a €3 million tender for organising the latest edition was awarded after the festival concluded, according to government records.

ADPD-The Green Party has requested the National Audit Office to investigate the matter, through a request filed by Carmel Cacopardo following The Shift’s investigation.

It is estimated that Grech has spent over €15 million on events between 2023 and 2025, particularly through the Mediterrane Film Festival. Yet, no details have been provided regarding how these public funds were allocated and to whom.

The Data Protection Commissioner ordered Grech to give The Shift a detailed list of contracts awarded for the festival’s first edition in 2023. However, Grech is resisting this request and has filed an appeal to contest the Commissioner’s decision on the Freedom of Information request.