Malta diverse European film shooting destination to Indian filmmakers

There is a common thread running through classics like Ridley Scott’s "Gladiator", Stephen Spielberg’s "Munich" and Wolfgang Petersen’s "Troy". All three films were shot in Malta, which is marketing itself as a cheap and diverse European film shooting destination to Indian filmmakers .

Luisa Bonelo, who heads the Malta Film Commission, a nodal agency which coordinates film-related activities in the small Mediterranean country, told IANS that it’s time India started looking beyond Switzerland.

"Malta is not new to cinema. We have been hosting shoots since the 1950s. Malta can double up for virtually any other country in the Mediterranean. We have a diverse landscape," said Bonelo who is here to attend the ongoing 40th International Film Festival of India (IFFI).

She added that the immensely famous water tanks along the sea, maintained by the Mediterranean Film Studios, had witnessed the shooting of mega budget Hollywood films like "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" and "Troy".

Explaining the edge Malta has over other countries in Europe, she said it was cheaper and English is a commonly spoken language.

"We also have skilled technicians with a lot of experience and ready infrastructure for shooting films," she said.

Speaking about the financial incentives to movie producers, Bonelo said that the cash incentive offered by Malta was the biggest draw for most filmmakers.

"We offer up to 22 percent of the eligible expenditure that can be obtained as a cash rebate by a qualifying production company once filming is complete," she said.

There is a rider though -- as per the European Film Commission norms, to avail of the rebate, films to be shot in Malta need to first clear a culture test.

"The films have to pass a culture test -- the film needs to have some sort of a link with Europe," said Bonelo, adding that the filmmakers intending to shoot there had to have a European element woven into the storyline.

Bonelo said that the first Indian movie to be shot there was Tamil film "Vinnai Thandi Varuvaya". "It was shot earlier this year. That was a beginning for us," she said.

When asked what exactly was her business pitch to Bollywood, Bonelo said: "We value Bollywood as a film market. We would love to have lots of Bollywood shoots in Malta. But song and dance sequences could be a problem in Malta because of the culture test."

Technorati Tags: Malta Indian

Del.Icio.Us Tags: Malta Indian

Singer Manna Dey is busy singing around the world

At 90, legendary singer Manna Dey is a busy man. After being recently honoured with the 55th Dadasaheb Phalke Award for his lifetime contribution towards Indian cinema, he is busy singing around the world.

Asked what keeps him going, Dey told IANS: "It’s the love of my fans. I sing for my fans. They have showered me with so much love and adulation everywhere I go, I cannot say no to them."

He is just back from a musical tour in the US and is busy practising every morning at his home in Banaswadi here for the concert this Sunday. He could not turn down the long pending request of his fans here.

"Both me and my wife Sulochana love Bangalore. People here are musically inclined and I hope to give my best at the concert for my fans," said Dey, who shifted from Mumbai to Bangalore in 2001 to stay near his daughter Shuroma here.

During his three-hour long concert, he will sing 25 of his popular songs including "Aye mere pyare watan", "Pucho na kaise maine raen bitaye", "Aey bhai zara dekh ke chalo", "Zindagi kaisi hai pehali" and "Jhanak jhanak tore bajey payaliya" at Ambedkar Bhavan here.

The event is being organised by Manna Dey Fan Club in Bangalore in collaboration with Maam Entertainment, a city-based event management group.

"It’s an honour for us that Manna Dey has agreed to perform for his fans in Bangalore. He’s a legend and it will be a sheer pleasure for his fans in the city to listen to the veteran singers," Arundhati Biswas, a member of the club, told IANS.

There are around 500 members in the club.

At the concert, Dey will walk down the memory lane to re-live a 60-year singing career with some of his most popular songs and recount anecdotes from his life and career as one of the most versatile singers of the Hindi film industry.

K.C. Khurana, the 85-year-old anchorperson who has been hosting several of Dey’s shows since last three decades, will be specially coming from New Delhi to accompany the singer at the dais in Bangalore.

"All his old musicians who played for Manna da earlier will be coming from Mumbai to play at the concert," added Biswas.

As a tribute to the legend, Dey will be felicitated on the day by his fans.

In commemoration, a silver coin engraved with a portrait of Manna Dey will be released at the concert, along with limited editions of an audio CD with 15 of Manna Dey’s biggest hits selected personally by him.

While the concert is mainly by invitation, limited tickets priced at Rs.500 and Rs.250 are also available, say the organisers who are hoping to host around 1,300 in the audience on the day.

Technorati Tags: MannaDey busy

Del.Icio.Us Tags: MannaDey busy