It was a big week in Malta, as they had their first-ever Malta Film Awards. The country was shaped by its history with Hollywood, such as it is the main country where Ridley Scott filmed Gladiator and the fact it’ll soon be featured in Colin Trevorrow‘s Jurassic World: Dominion. We had the honor of flying down to the island and participating in the event, which was hosted by comedian David Walliams. The award ceremony was, naturally, focused primarily on national talent and productions but there was also some love offered to those that put the market on the Hollywood map. The big winner of the night was The Boat, a thriller by Joe and Winston Azzopardi.
There were quite a few winners, as Davide Ferrario‘s Blood on the Crown dominated the night with Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Musical Score, and Best Production Design. Harvey Keitel even won the award for Best Male Actor in a Leading Role for his work on the film. There were also some awards handed out to celebrate Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe‘s contribution to the country, who appeared through some heartwarming pre-recorded videos. Crowe especially went all out, as he showcased that he still owns Maximus’ ring from his time on Gladiator.
Director Colin Trevorrow has even been awarded the first Malta Film Commissioner’s Award for his work on Jurassic World: Dominion, where the island is set to make an appearance as itself and not just as a filming backdrop for another country. The two-hour event was filled with a high production value, many local stars sharing their excitement about the future, and their hope to establish this as a yearly event.
Source: Malta Film Awards
