The fourth edition of the Mediterrane Film Festival (21-28 June) wrapped on Sunday with the Golden Bee Awards ceremony, held at the Malta Film Studios in Valletta. Organised by the Malta Film Commission, the event brought the curtain down on the Maltese gathering’s biggest edition yet, which showcased over 30 films across its public and industry strands.

Hosted by actor and comedian Jack Whitehall, the closing ceremony took place at the studios’ monumental water tanks, transformed for the occasion into an Atlantis-inspired stage with a 60-metre-wide projection screen made of water and fountains rising up to 30 metres. The evening also featured performances by Leona Lewis, Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja and Eurovision favourite Destiny.

The big winner of the night was Steven Soderbergh’s black comedy The Christophers, which took home the Golden Bee for Best Feature Film in the newly launched Big Screen Competition. The US-UK co-production, toplined by Ian McKellen and Michaela Coel, also earned Ed Solomon the Best Screenwriting Award. Elsewhere in the same section, Haley Bennett snagged Best Performance for her portrayal of Katharine Hilbery in Virginia Woolf’s Night & Day, whilst Danny Elfman received Best Original Score for Gus Van Sant’s Dead Man’s Wire. The People’s Choice Award in the Big Screen Competition went to Kiah Roache-Turner’s World War II shark-attack film Beast of War.

Meanwhile, the Mediterranean Competition crowned Leyla Bouzid’s In a Whisper Best Mediterranean Film. The French-Tunisian drama, which world-premiered in the Berlinale main competition earlier this year, also earned Eya Bouteraa the Special Jury Award. Moreover, the Mare Nostrum section, dedicated to films reflecting on the relationship between humanity and nature, gave its People’s Choice Award to Jeanie Finlay’s UK documentary All Rivers Spill Their Stories to the Sea.

The festival also handed out several honorary prizes. British producer Andy Harries OBE, founder of Left Bank Pictures and producer of high-profile titles such as The Crown, The Queen, The Royle Family and Cold Feet, received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Legend John Cleese, known worldwide for Monty Python and Fawlty Towers, was honoured with the Icon Award. Furthermore, Dove Cameron received the Rising Star Award, while Vincent Pace was presented with the Entrepreneur in Film Award.

This year’s edition also hosted a broad industry programme, with guests including Renny Harlin, Andy Tennant, Theo Park, Mike Goodridge, IMDb founder Col Needham and production executive Gina Marsh. Among the announcements made during the festival were those for Stephen Poliakoff’s upcoming adaptation of Peter Portelli’s novel The Order for television and the Malta Film Commission’s presentation, earlier in the week, of a €2 million Upskilling Fund alongside its first Crew Standards Framework.

Here is the full list of this year’s award winners:

Big Screen Competition

Best Feature Film
The Christophers – Steven Soderbergh (USA/UK)

Best Performance
Haley Bennett - Virginia Woolf’s Night & Day (UK/Germany/USA)

Best Screenwriting
Ed Solomon - The Christophers

Best Original Score
Danny Elfman - Dead Man’s Wire (USA)

People’s Choice Award
Beast of War – Kiah Roache-Turner (Australia)

Mediterranean Competition

Best Mediterranean Film
In a Whisper – Leyla Bouzid (France/Tunisia)

Special Jury Award
Eya Bouteraa - In a Whisper

Mare Nostrum

People’s Choice Award
All Rivers Spill Their Stories to the Sea – Jeanie Finlay (UK)

Other awards

Lifetime Achievement Award
Andy Harries

Icon Award
John Cleese

Rising Star Award
Dove Cameron

Entrepreneur in Film Award
Vincent Pace