VALLETTA, June 27, 2023
The second day of the Mediterrane Film Festival kicked off with the Sure Start Film Education Conference, featuring a series of insightful speeches, panel discussions, and networking opportunities.
The day began with an opening speech by Malta Film Commissioner Johann Grech. He emphasized the need to inject film into classrooms.
He remarked that one in three young people are interested in working in the film industry.
The Commission is proposing a fresh approach to film education, which Mr. Grech termed “Film Enhanced Education,” aiming to utilize the power of film and storytelling to enhance studying across all subjects in the classroom.
In his speech, Grech stated, “The film sector in Malta is booming. What we need to do now is ensure that success continues. To prepare more of our people to take advantage of that success. To embed the skills needed for a rapidly evolving industry at the heart of our national workforce. To enable film to continue to play its part in growing our national prosperity.”
Hon. Clifton Grima, Minister for Education, Sport, Youth, Research, and Innovation, delivered a speech highlighting the importance of collaboration between the education sector and the film industry, emphasizing the role of education in providing a strong foundation of technical skills to the film industry. Minister Grima also mentioned the various courses offered by MCAST and the University of Malta that lead to opportunities in the film industry.
The Education Minister said, “The film industry, with its ever-growing demand for talent and expertise, relies on a well-prepared workforce that possesses a diverse set of skills. Our education system can play a pivotal role in providing a strong foundation of technical skills to the Film Industry. Collaboration between these two sectors can foster a pipeline of skilled professionals who are prepared to make their mark in this industry.”
The conference then moved into a series of panel discussions. The first panel, “Film in the Classroom – throughout Formal Education,” was moderated by Larissa Bonaci and featured a diverse group of educators and industry professionals.
Amongst these were Clint Gerald Attard -Education Officer for Media Literacy, Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation
Dr. Ian Attard – Senior Lecturer, Coordinator – BA Media BA Journalism, MCAST Institute for the Creative Arts
Jean Pierre Borg – Cultural Development Manager, Malta Film Commission
Prof. Noellie Brockdorff -Dean, Faculty of Media & Knowledge Sciences, University of Malta
Frederick Clarke – Media Literacy Teacher, St Martin’s College
Prof. Gloria Lauri Lucente -Deputy Dean, Faculty of Arts; Coordinator, M.A. in Film Studies, University of Malta
Dr. Chris Main – Director of East 15 Acting School
The second panel, “Film in Non-Formal Education and Informal Learning Contexts,” was moderated by filmmaker and multidisciplinary artist Charlie Cauchi. The third panel, “From the School Desk into the Film Industry” was moderated by film producer Joshua Cassar Gaspar.
A number of MOU’s will be signed today with the following entities:
• University of Malta – M.A. Film Studies
• Aġenzija Żgħażagħ
• Foundation for Educational Services (FES)
• Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST)
These MOUs and agreements mark a significant step towards fostering a stronger collaboration between the education sector and the film industry, ensuring a continuous supply of skilled professionals to the booming film sector in Malta.
