No ego trip should embarrass an entire government, Jason Micallef says

CEO of Valletta Cultural Agency and former head of One News Jason Micallef has condemned Film Commissioner Johann Grech’s costly, controversial promotional film, saying that “no ego trip should embarrass an entire government.”Micall

By: independent.com.mt

Jul 06 2024
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No ego trip should embarrass a

Micallef took to his Facebook page on Saturday to criticise the short, 10-minute promotional film which featured Grech alongside David Walliams, reportedly costing around €500,000 or more.

“No ego trip should embarrass an entire government, especially the Minister for Tourism, under whose leadership our country is experiencing the best results ever in the tourism sector,” Micallef said.

He said that the Film Commissioner is not government, and government is not the Film Commissioner.

“Thinking you can do whatever you want all the time, on a whim, with public funds, without any accountability, is unacceptable,” Micallef wrote.

He said that the country, the public, and the Labour government and its people deserved better.

Times of Malta reported on Friday that according to industry sources, the short film cost more than €500,000, and employed around 130 crew members led by a foreign director.

Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo said Saturday that he had berated Grech about his participation in the video.

“I have approached Johann Grech and told him in no uncertain terms that his featuring in the short film was uncalled for,” the minister said on Saturday.

Speaking on 103 FM RTK, Bartolo said the video was meant to showcase the potential of a film series about the Knights of St John.

But “such roles should be played by professional actors," he said. “I have spoken to him, and he assured me this will not happen again.”