Inaugural Mediterrane Film Festival Sets Lineup Including World Premiere of ‘Deep Fear’

This weekend, the doors will open for the first time ever at the Mediterrane Film Festival, a six-day-long celebration of film featuring acclaimed actors, producers, industry creatives, and more from Valetta, the capital of Malta. The newest destination on the festival circuit is meant to foster collaboration and celebrate the creativity of artists from all throughout the Mediterranean region all while putting Malta on the map in the global film market. There’ll be no shortage of opportunities for creatives from the region to shine and find new collaborators as the week will be filled with workshops, conferences, and screenings for all who attend, including a few panels moderated by Collider Editor-in-Chief Steve Weintraub.

For the Mediterrane Film Festival’s first go-around, nine films from the respective MED9 countries were officially selected as part of the competition. One of the highlights should be familiar to the film festival crowd – Alice Diop‘s acclaimed legal drama Saint Omer which was France’s official selection for the Best International Film race at the Academy Awards earlier this year. Other titles include the Natascha McElhone-led Carmen from Valerie Buhagiar and Croatian darling Safe Place directed by and starring Juraj Lerotić.

All nine films will compete for the Golden Bee Award which will be decided by a jury led by Adrian Wooton OBE, CEO of Film London and the British Film Commission, alongside Triangle of Sadness star Zlatko Burić (Croatia), writer-director and producer Tonia Mishiali (Cyprus), actress and director Vahina Giocante (France), producer Amanda Livanou (Greece), deputy director of The Hollywood Reporter Italy Boris Sollazzo (Italy), film analyst and critic Mario Azzopardi (Malta), journalist, film critic and film programmer José Vieira Mendes (Portugal), film critic and journalist Tina Poglajen (Slovenia) and film programming director Carlos Reviriego (Spain). David Walliams will serve as the host for the awards with performances by The X Factor star Rebecca Ferguson and Maltese lyric Tenor Joseph Calleja and appearances by Malignant star Annabelle Wallis and Chernobyl‘s Jared Harris.

RELATED: This Movie Got Both a 17-Minute Standing Ovation and Walkouts at Cannes

The International Stars Will Show Out for the Mediterrane Film Festival

Outside the competition, the Mediterrane Film Festival will also see the world premiere of Deep Fear with stars Ed Westwick and Madalina Ghenea on hand to present along with director Marcus Adams who will take part in a Q&A. The survival thriller follows a yachtswoman named Naomi (Ghenea) whose leisurely three-day solo trip aboard “The Serenity” to meet with her boyfriend in Grenada takes a turn for the worst when she’s blown off course by a storm. The screening and Q&A are set to take place on Tuesday, June 27.

Several international stars will make the trip to Malta to host some of the many masterclasses including Australian actor Eric Bana for a class on acting for film and television. Other classes include film scoring with Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse composer Daniel Pemberton, Acting with Joaquim de Almeida, Production Design with Terry Ackland-Snow, and Hair and Makeup Design with Ivana Primorac along with conferences featuring Malta Film Commissioner Johann Grech and Wooton. Outside of events, a whole host of starry guests is lined up including Alexandra Ilieva, Andrei Lenart, Daniela Melchior, Darko Perić, Dubravka Turić, Fred Hechinger, Gracija Filipović, Hal Ozsan, Katarina Čas, Klelia Andriolatou, Marta Milans, May Calamawy, Melinda McGraw, Nahuel Perez Biscayart, Nastassja Kinski, Natascha McElhone, Umut Aral, and Yolanthe Cabau.

The Mediterrane Film Festival begins on Sunday, June 25 in Valetta. See the full lineup of films and workshops below.

2023 Mediterrane Film Festival Lineup and Schedule

SAFE PLACE Croatia

Director: Juraj Lerotić

Cast: Juraj Lerotic, Snjezana Sinovcic, Goran Markovic

.dog Cyprus

Director: Yianna Americanou

Cast: Andreas Konstantinou, Dimitris Kitsos, Nikos Zeginoglou

SAINT OMER France

Director: Alice Diop

Cast: Kayije Kagame, Guslagie Malanda, Valérie Dréville

MAGNETIC FIELDS (Magnitika pedia) Greece

Director: Giorgoa Gousis

Cast: Elena Topalidou, Antonis Tsiotsiopoulos, Nikos Spanides

NOSTALGIA Italy

Director: Mario Martone

Cast: Pierfrancesco Favino, Francesco Di Leva, Tommaso Ragno

CARMEN Malta

Director: Valerie Buhagiar

Cast: Natascha McElhone, Michela Farrugia, Steven Love

ALMA VIVA Portugal

Director: Cristèle Alves Meira

Cast: Lua Michel, Ana Padrão, Jacqueline Corado

ORKESTER Slovenia

Director: Matevz Luzar

Cast: Gregor Zorc, Gregor Cusin, Jernej Kogovsek

ALCARRÀS Spain

Directors: Carla Simón

Cast: Josep Abad, Jordi Pujol Dolcet, Anna Otin

All panels are open to the general public and can be booked free of charge. Full list below:

MONDAY 26 JUNE

Strategy

Conference Speakers:

Johann Grech – Malta Film Commissioner

Clayton Bartolo – Minister for Tourism

The Mediterranean Studio Landscape

Panel Discussion Speakers:

Johann Grech – CEO, Malta Film Studios

Tanja Ladovic Blasevic – Croatian Audiovisual Centre

Mark Costa – HBO

Olivia Koterska – Skydance

Kevin Trehy – Warner Bros UK

Masterclass: Production Design for Film & TV

Masterclass and Q&A Speaker:

Terry Ackland Snow

Arthouse and Independent Cinema in the Digital Age: Challenges and Opportunities Amidst Blockbusters and Streaming Platforms

Panel Discussion Speakers:

Ena Rahelić – Kino Mediterran (Croatia)

Marco Martins – Director/Writer (Portugal)

Jure Matičič – Kulturni dom

Valerie Buhagiar – Director (Malta)

Chris Zarb – Director (Malta)

Masterclass: Costume Design

Masterclass and Q&A Speaker:

To follow

National Broadcasting Stations and Remaining Relevant for Audiences in the Age of Streaming Platforms

Panel Discussion Speakers:

Jelena Milosevic – Children & Youth (Croatian TV)

Despo Karpi – Head of TV Programmes (CyBC)

Natalija Gorsak – Editor at RTV Slovenia / EBU TV Committee Vice Chair

Charles Dalli – Public Broadcasting Service (Malta)

Masterclass: Hair & Make-Up Design

Masterclass and Q&A Speaker:

Ivana Primorac

TUESDAY 27 JUNE

Sure Start: Film Education

Conference

Location, Location, Location

Panel Discussion Speakers:

Tanja Ladovic Blasevic – Croatian Audiovisual Centre

Stavroula Geronimaki – Hellenic Film Commission

Joseph Formosa Randon – Location Scout – Malta

Masterclass: Raising Money for Film

Masterclass and Q&A Speakers:

Matt Hookings – Camelot Films

Gary Raskin – Raskin Law

Public Financing Models (Co-Financing, Co-Production & The Incentive Landscape)

Panel Discussion Speakers:

Maja Vukić – Asst. CEO, Croatian Audiovisual Centre

Diomides Nikita – Ministry of Cyprus

Michel Plazanet – Deputy Director, International Affairs CNC

Eleni Chandrinou – Audiovisual Content Greek Representative at Eurimages

Nataša Bučar – Managing Director, Slovenian Film Centre

Susan Ronald – Research & Policy Manager, Malta Film Commission

Masterclass: The Creative Design Process

Masterclass and Q&A Speaker:

Florian Wieder – Wieder Design

Film Financing Models (US/UK vs EU & Creative Europe Financiers)

Panel Discussion Speakers:

Anita Juka –Producer (Croatia)

Lefteris Eleftheriou – Director at Invest Cyprus

Markos Holevas – President Director’s Board, Greek Film Centre

Danijel Hočevar – Producer (Slovenia)

Gary Raskin – Raskin Law

Masterclass: Light & Camera Equipment Provision across the Mediterranean

Masterclass and Q&A Speaker:

Delight

Deep Fear: World Premiere Event + Q&A

Film Premiere (By Invite)

Attending:

Ed Westwick – Cast

Madalina Ghenea – Cast

Marcus Adams – Director

WEDNESDAY 28 JUNE

The Skills Debate

Conference Speakers:

Vince Marmara – Presentation – Sagalytics

Beverly Cutajar – Chairperson, Malta Film Commission

Tanja Ladovic Blasevic – Croatian Audiovisual Centre

Diomides Nikita – Ministry of Cyprus

Tina Lesnicar – Slovenian Film Centre

Adrian Wootton OBE – British Film Commissioner

Masterclass: Visual Effects

Masterclass and Q&A Speaker:

Matthew Pullicino – Stargate Studios Malta

Trends in AI & Digital Technology

Panel Discussion Speakers:

Gavril Flores – Malta Digital Innovation Authority

Stephen Dullaghan – Rupture Studios

Matthew Pullicino – Stargate Studios Malta

André Rittner – ARRI Solutions

Masterclass: Colouring in Post-Production

Masterclass and Q&A Speaker:

Alastor Arnold – Fotokem

Masterclass: Casting Direction

Masterclass and Q&A Speaker:

Suzanne Smith

Data Economy, Entrepreneurship & Marketing in the Film & TV Industry

Panel Discussion Speakers:

Irena Jelic – Croatian Audiovisual Centre

David Rodriguez – Comscore

Tanja Kerševan – University of Ljubljana

Lottie Towler – Ampere Analysis

Anthony David Gatt – Malta Enterprise

The Dive: Mediterrane Premiere Event + Q&A

Film Premiere (By Invite)

Attending:

Sophie Lowe – Cast

Louisa Krause – Cast

Maximilian Erlenwein – Director

THURSDAY 29 JUNE

Roundtable: Creative Europe Media Desk

Roundtable Speakers:

Karl Fiorini and Daniela Said

Roundtable: Malta Enterprise

Roundtable

Masterclass: The Role of DIT

Masterclass and Q&A Speaker:

Frank McDonnell – DryLab

Roundtable: Acting with Joaquim de Almeida

Roundtable Speaker:

Joaquim de Almeida

Masterclass: Virtual Production

Masterclass & Q&A Speaker:

Stephen Dullaghan – Rupture Studios

Championing Sustainable Measures – Best Practices

Panel Discussion Speakers:

Irena Jelic – Croatian Audiovisual Centre

Benoit Ruiz – Decarbonation Consultant, ARTFX

Anna Kasimati – Creative Europe MEDIA – Greek Film Centre

Eduardo Vieitez – Creast Network

Roundtable: East 15 Acting School

Roundtable Speaker:

Jesmond Xuereb & Chris Main – East 15 – Acting School

Masterclass: Producing for Film & Television

Masterclass & Q&A Speaker:

Drew Comins – Creative Engine Entertainment

Roundtable: Acting

Roundtable Speaker:

To follow

Roundtable: Artist International Group

Roundtable Speaker:

Chris Prapha – Artist International Group

Roundtable: Writer’s Corner

Roundtable Speaker:

Trevor Walton

Industry Work Standards (Gender & Inclusion in Film / Setiquette / Diversity)

Panel Discussion Speakers:

Irena Jelic – Croatian Audiovisual Centre

Tonia Mishiali – Producer (Cyprus)

Anna Kasimati – Creative Europe MEDIA – Greek Film Centre

Bostjan Virc – Producer (Slovenia)

Roundtables: Producer Mentoring

Roundtable Speakers:

Marty Katz, Hal Sadoff, Flaminio Zadra

Masterclass: Film Scoring

Masterclass & Q&A Speaker:

Daniel Pemberton

Masterclass: Acting & Auditioning for Film & TV

Masterclass & Q&A Speaker:

Eric Bana

The Golden Bee Awards

Festival Ceremony

Location: Fort Manoe

Roundtable: CAA Talent Agency

Roundtable Speaker:

Bruce Vinokour – CAA

Roundtable: ARRI Solutions

Roundtable Speaker:

André Rittner – ARRI Solutions