The Mediterrane Film Festival has announced its international jury and programming highlights for its third edition, set to take place from 21 to 29 June 2025. This year’s event carries added significance as it coincides with the centenary of filmmaking in Malta, marking 100 years since the island hosted its first feature, Sons of the Sea (1925).
Against the historic backdrop of Valletta and surrounding iconic locations, the festival will be led by newly appointed festival director Ray Calleja and festival curator Mark Adams. The 2025 edition will unfold under the theme We Are Film, a celebration of cinema’s ability to connect people through storytelling and shared emotion.
Three core programming strands will shape this year’s selection:
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Main competition, spotlighting films from across the Mediterranean region
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Out of competition, featuring international titles
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Mare Nostrum – ‘Our Sea’, dedicated to films that engage with sustainability and environmental themes, both narrative and documentary
Alongside public screenings, the festival will host a comprehensive industry programme at Fort Ricasoli, the 17th-century fortress now serving as a vibrant venue for panels, masterclasses, and roundtable discussions. Past speakers have included BAFTA-winning director Mike Leigh, editor Yorgos Mavropsaridis (Kinds of Kindness, Poor Things), Oscar-winning production designer Nathan Crowley (Wicked), casting director Margery Simkin (Top Gun, Mamma Mia!), and composer Simon Franglen (Avatar: The Way of Water).
A high-profile international jury will select the winners of the Golden Bee Awards, to be presented at a gala event on 29 June. The first names confirmed for the 2025 jury include:
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Rick Carter, two-time Academy Award-winning production designer (Avatar, Lincoln), whose work spans Forrest Gump, The Fabelmans, Jurassic Park and Star Wars: The Force Awakens
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Charlese Antoinette, costume designer for AIR and Judas and the Black Messiah, the latter earning her a nomination from the Costume Designers Guild
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Elli Griff, Oscar-nominated set decorator (Napoleon), with credits including Gladiator, Gladiator II, Glass Onion, Uncharted, and Ghost in the Shell
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Catherine Hardwicke, director of Twilight, Thirteen, Lords of Dogtown, and Miss You Already. Her film Lords of Dogtown will receive a special anniversary screening at the festival
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James Price, Academy Award and BAFTA-winning production designer (Poor Things), whose recent work includes Speak No Evil, The Iron Claw, and The Nest
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Mario Philip Azzopardi, Maltese director of ZOS: Zone of Separation and Habbilni Ha Nirbah, who also directed Il-Gaġġa, considered the first full-length film made entirely in Maltese
The Mare Nostrum strand will be judged by:
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Gráinne Humphreys, long-time artistic director of the Dublin International Film Festival
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Ania Trzebiatowska, senior programmer at the Sundance Film Festival
Malta film commissioner Johann Grech described the festival as “born from a simple yet powerful idea – to connect creative minds from the Mediterranean and across Europe and transform their ideas into reality. We stand for opportunity, collaboration and creativity.”
Festival director Ray Calleja added, “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 from across the Mediterranean and beyond.”
Over the past century, Malta has developed into a key international production hub, recognised for its historic architecture, versatile landscapes, and world-class water facilities at the Malta Film Studios. From Gladiator and Troy to Game of Thrones and Napoleon, the island continues to attract major global productions. With continued investment, government backing, and a deepening talent pool, Malta’s cinematic future looks set to be as rich as its past.
