Russell Crowe made a shock look on the Mediterrane Movie Competition‘s Golden Bee Awards on Sunday night time, returning to the island the place he shot “Gladiator” greater than twenty years in the past.
“If you wish to know what I really like about Malta, it’s the whole lot,” stated Crowe, who was given the Malta Movie Legend Award. “26 years in the past, in a humorous manner, I grew to become a person in Malta,” he stated, “For no matter movies I had finished earlier than then, nothing had the majesty, ambition and price range and in the end attain of ‘Gladiator.’ It wasn’t a straightforward manufacturing. I needed to battle day-after-day for the integrity of the character I used to be enjoying — identical to the journey of the character himself within the film. And generally, you get fortunate sufficient to make one thing that resonates with folks.”
Crowe instructed a narrative a few younger man who requested him for a photograph final week whereas he was touring in Italy. “I shook his hand and he began to cry. His pals instructed me later he’s the pinnacle lifeguard of the native seashore, he’s acquired muscular tissues on muscular tissues…and so they’d by no means seen him like that. I ended up hugging him. When he acquired himself collectively, he stated, ‘You don’t perceive, once I was 8 years outdated, my mom sat me in entrance of a TV and placed on a videocassette of “Gladiator” and instructed me, ‘If you’re ever questioning what sort of man your mom expects you to be, it’s the sort of man.’ The respect, the integrity, the religion – a person made in Malta.”
Earlier within the night, “Euphoria” star Barbie Ferreira was honored with the Rising Star award, and stated she has been exploring the nation’s islands “in each manner attainable.”
“I did a lot analysis earlier than I acquired right here,” she stated, “It’s wealthy with historical past.” Ferreira’s upcoming tasks embrace “Mile Finish Kicks,” which is premiering at TIFF, and she or he stated she loved enjoying a music journalist who’s “an unbearable woman, which is at all times the most effective half.”
“The Final Emperor” producer Jeremy Thomas acquired the Lifetime Achievement award, whereas Pierre Agius and Joseph Formosa Randon have been honored with the Profession Achievement awards for his or her in depth location work on movies shot in Malta.
The competition’s high Golden Bee award for finest function movie went to Tunisia’s “The place the Wind Comes From,” with the movie’s star Eya Bellaga successful finest efficiency. Julio Medem received finest screenwriting for his movie “8,” which additionally acquired the Jury’s Selection award. The Mare Nostrum award went to “Miyazaki: Spirit of Nature.”
“The place the Wind Comes From” received the Mediterrane Movie Competition’s finest function and finest efficiency awards.
Particular visitors arrived on the 18th century Fort Manoel, close to the capital of Valletta, by boat for the night’s lavish awards ceremony, which included dance numbers, a number of singers, no less than three fireworks shows and a compilation movie of the movies shot within the nation over the previous 100 years. Malta has been on an enormous upswing as a well-liked taking pictures location with latest shoots together with “Enola Holmes 3” and “Jurassic World: Rebirth” using the islands’ historic backdrops and beneficiant rebates.
“What a century it has been,” stated Movie Commissioner Johann Grech. “Malta could also be a small nation, however Malta is an formidable nation.”
Additionally on the awards ceremony have been actors together with Chris Perfetti, Karen Pittman, Jared Harris, Edmund Donovan, Joaquim De Almeida, Bailey Bass and Kerry Ingram in addition to “Thunderbolts” director Jake Schreier.
The competitors jury included director Catherine Hardwicke, who previewed her upcoming movie “Road Sensible” throughout a competition masterclass, and manufacturing designer Rick Carter, whose masterclass coated his profession engaged on movies reminiscent of “Jurassic Park,” “Lincoln” and “Avatar.”
Whereas the competition welcomed quite a few business visitors to community, display their latest work and take a look at well-known movie areas on land and by boat, locals and business members alike turned out for outside screenings of a number of movies shot in Malta, from “Popeye” and “Troy” to “Gladiator II,” “Conflict of the Titans” and the basic “Malta Story.”
All week lengthy, the small nation demonstrated it has huge hopes for rising the competition and maximizing the area’s filming capabilities within the years to return.