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Cinema owners play mouth wide shut
By Joe Fountain
Ridley Scott’s multi-award winning Gladiator, together
with The Perfect Storm and MI-2 were the biggest crowd pullers
at cinemas in Malta and Gozo in 2000, KRS film distributors
confirmed. But how many people visited the 33 cinema screens
to see these blockbusters, and other films is a mystery.
When contacted by CCT news and asked about the number of people
who went to the cinema last year, the management at each of
the five cinema complexes operating last year were reluctant
to divulge any information.
They gave no particular reason for their reticence. A number
of owners were also reluctant to give the number of seats at
their theatres. A cinema owner in Gozo told this reporter that
if he wanted to know how many seats there were in his theatre,
he should cross over to Gozo, buy a cinema ticket and count
the seats himself.
But this black-out on cinema attendance may end soon. According
to Robert Mizzi at the Library and Information Unit of the Office
of Statistics, two upcoming studies – scheduled to be published
next month – should be able to switch on the searchlight
on this situation. The first, aimed at finding out how much
time the Maltese spend in cultural activities will also provide
information on the people’s attitudes towards cinema going.
The second, targeted specifically at cinema owners should make
public the hitherto elusive attendance figures.
The VAT Department is still receiving declaration of returns
for the year 2000. When this exercise is completed and computed,
the Department will find no problem to provide data on cinema
attendance particularly since the Tax Compliance Unit is getting
better geared, said a department official.
In contrast with the pursed lips of cinema owners, Teresa Friggieri,
chairperson of the Board of Film and Stage Certification (formerly
known as The Film and Stage Censorship Board ) was quite forthcoming
on the modus operandi of the board. She said that as far as
she recalled there were no frames ‘cut’ by the board
from any of the films in the format presented by KRS since she
has been chairperson. Asked if any sequences were cut from the
blockbuster Eyes Wide Shut, Ms Friggieri assured CCT News that
no frames were cut by the Board. She added, however, that she
had heard this rumour before and thought it to be somehow connected
with the video version. Videos are not in the brief of the Stage
and Film Certification Board.
Film censorship in Malta was introduced in 1937. There have
been no major changes in legislation on film censorship other
than that related to the name of the board. The old classification
of U, AA and AO was officially replaced on July 21, 2000. Films
are now classified as U (children admitted); PG (children are
admitted as long as they are accompanied by parents); 12, 16
and 18. This is identical to the classification in Britain except
that in Malta there is no R18. Films rated R18 contain scenes
which would be described as pornographic.
Ms. Friggieri said parental guidance can certainly help kids
to enhance their evaluation of various aspects of life. She
said that when she and her board preview films they look at
the whole package rather than merely focusing on sex and/or
violent content. The board comprises 15 members. The members
include a number of teachers, two head teachers, a psychologist,
a priest, two journalists, two pensioners, a housewife and a
graphic designer.
The board also previews all scripts of live stage presentations
and attend rehearsals as deemed fit. Ms. Friggieri, an accomplished
drama performer, said that play scripts present different problems
because there is a world of a difference between a play script
and a play in performance.
For this reason the chairperson deems it quite sensible to attend
dress rehearsals of particular plays. (CCT News)
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