Johann Grech should step down immediately after Ridley Scott comment, PN says
After Film Commissioner Johann Grech accused critics of the Government's film rebates of attacking Malta, he has now found himself under attack by the very person who benefited the most from these rebates, receiving a record sum of at least €47
After Film Commissioner Johann Grech accused critics of the Government's film rebates of attacking Malta, he has now found himself under attack by the very person who benefited the most from these rebates, receiving a record sum of at least €47 million from Maltese taxpayers' money, the Nationalist Party said in a statement Saturday.
In fact, Johann Grech has now been humiliated by film director Ridley Scott, who directed Gladiator 2 in Malta and benefited from this record sum, when Scott said in an interview that he would not recommend anyone visit Malta for a holiday.
Even worse, the same Film Commissioner censored Ridley Scott's words. When sharing the interview on Facebook, he shamelessly manipulated what the Gladiator director had actually said, using only the parts that suited his narrative while omitting the famous director's statement advising against visiting Malta for a holiday, the PN said.
The PN reiterated that the Film Commissioner's position is no longer tenable. While Johann Grech has lost all credibility, our country needs a film industry that truly serves Malta, not the personal ego of the Commissioner who is supposed to lead this industry.
Therefore, Film Commissioner Johann Grech must resign immediately so that the film industry can truly reach its full potential, focus on local talent, and support Maltese film producers in their initiatives.
The PN said that while Johann Grech has entirely neglected Maltese producers, he earns a salary of more than €12,500 per month after increasing his pay to €150,000 per year - six times the average annual wage of a Maltese worker.
It is also worth noting how Johann Grech has been squandering public funds at his discretion, including self-promotional advertising campaigns, which amount to nothing more than blatant misuse of taxpayers' money for an ego-driven project funded by the public purse, the PN said.
Meanwhile, throughout this entire situation, there has been deafening silence from Minister Owen Bonnici, who, after the resignation of Clayton Bartolo, is now responsible for the film industry - and therefore the Film Commissioner.
The PN said it was among the first to emphasise the need for more funding for Maltese producers so they can thrive in this vital industry, create high-quality jobs, and ensure employment opportunities for all Maltese and Gozitan workers in this sector.
While always supporting the cash rebate system, the PN has consistently insisted on capping these rebates to prevent situations like this one, where a single major film production drains millions that fail to circulate in Malta's economy. The PN has also consistently advocated for co-production funding to ensure that local producers and workers have a level playing field with their foreign counterparts.
The statement was signed by Julie Zahra, Shadow Minister for National Heritage, Arts, and Culture.
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