03/06/2025 - The Maltese festival returns with an extensive programme of competition titles, global showcases and industry events celebrating storytelling across borders

As Malta marks a century since the island hosted its first feature film, Sons of the Sea (1925), the third edition of the Mediterrane Film Festival (21-29 June, Valletta) rises to the occasion with an ambitious programme of screenings, master classes and industry events, all unfolding under this year’s theme: We Are Film.

Under the guidance of newly appointed festival director Ray Calleja and curator Mark Adams, the 2025 edition promises not only a celebration of Malta’s cinematic heritage, but also a bold step forward, spotlighting urgent narratives and emerging voices from across the Mediterranean and beyond. The main competition brings together ten feature films, a showcase of cross-border collaborations and culturally layered storytelling.

Among the highlights in competition is The Theft of the Caravaggio by Maltese director Joshua Cassar Gaspar, a fictional mystery-thriller inspired by the real-life 1984 disappearance of Caravaggio’s Saint Jerome Writing from St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta. Other contenders include The Return [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Uberto Pasolini, Hot Milk [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Rebecca Lenkiewicz
film profile] by Rebecca Lenkiewicz, For the Love of a Woman [+see also:
interview: Guido Chiesa
film profile] by Guido Chiesa, Harvest [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Athina Rachel Tsangari
film profile] by Athina Rachel Tsangari, Where the Wind Comes From [+see also:
film review
interview: Amel Guellaty
film profile] by Amel Guellaty, Fiume o Morte! [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Igor Bezinović, The Wound by Seloua El Gouni, Reflection in a Dead Diamond [+see also:
film review
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interview: Hélène Cattet & Bruno Forzani
film profile] by Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani, and 8 [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Julio Medem.

Beyond the competition, the festival offers a diverse global line-up in its out-of-competition section, where notable names such as Ira Sachs (Peter Hujar’s Day [+see also:
film review
film profile]), Giulia Louise Steigerwalt (Diva Futura [+see also:
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trailer
film profile]) and Mouly Surya (This City Is a Battlefield [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) broaden the festival’s scope. The Mare Nostrum strand continues to address ecological concerns and inspire collective action through cinematic storytelling. Highlights include Only on Earth [+see also:
interview: Robin Petré
interview: Robin Petré
film profile] by Robin Petré, Transamazonia [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Pia Marais
film profile] by Pia Marais and Miyazaki: Spirit of Nature by Léo Favier, among others.

The festival juries bring together leading figures from across the audiovisual landscape. The Golden Bee Competition jury includes Oscar-winning production designer Rick Carter, costume designer Charlese Antoinette, set decorator Elli Griff, director Catherine Hardwicke, production designer James Price and Maltese filmmaker Mario Philip Azzopardi. Meanwhile, the Mare Nostrum jury will be led by Dublin International Film Festival artistic director Gráinne Humphreys and Sundance senior programmer Ania Trzebiatowska. The Golden Bee Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to veteran British producer Jeremy Thomas in recognition of his contribution to independent cinema.

On the industry front, Fort Ricasoli – a 400-year-old bastion with cinematic ties of its own – will host a series of talks and master classes. Filmmakers Joe Carnahan and Catherine Hardwicke will lead Lessons in Filmmaking, while composer Martin Phipps and production designer Rick Carter will offer behind-the-scenes insights into their acclaimed careers.

Festival director Ray Calleja emphasised the dual mission of the event: “As we celebrate 100 years of filmmaking in Malta, we’re honoured to welcome an exceptional panel of judges who reflect the depth, diversity and global reach of contemporary cinema. Together with our festival curator, Mark Adams, we’re committed to shaping a programme that not only honours Malta’s cinematic past, but also champions bold, new voices.”