Valletta to hold five days of free outdoor film screenings

Cinema City will take place from 24 May to 28 May in Laparelli Garden

On 11 May, the Maltese Minister for National Heritage, Arts and Local Government, Owen Bonnici, officially launched the five-day film event, Cinema City. As part of this event, Valletta’s residents will have the chance to attend five film screenings for free at the Laparelli Garden from 24 May to 28 May.

Hosted by the Valletta Cultural Agency, the Cinema City event seeks to promote the economic, social, and cultural regeneration of the Maltese city. Taking this further, the Chairman of the Valletta Cultural Agency, Jason Micallef, shared that the event will build on the success of last month’s green festival and take place outdoors.

Supporting the national film industry

This year, the Cinema City event will showcase the work of both international and Maltese producers. What is more, it will include several theme nights such as Modern Classic Films, Animation Night, Maltese Film, and Family Night.

It is interesting to note that the government sought inspiration from the EU’s Be SpectACTive initiative when choosing the five screenings as it urged citizens to participate in the films' selection process. More specifically, it asked volunteers to watch a number of movies from the comfort of their homes and help choose the most appropriate ones for Cinema City. In this way, it made citizens active participants in the organisation of the five-day event.

The films and their screening dates are as follows:

• Tuesday 24 May: Little Miss Sunshine (16)
• Wednesday 25 May: Simshar (12A)
• Thursday 26 May: The Matrix (12A)
• Friday 27 May: La Vita e Bella (PG)
• Saturday 28 May: The Iron Giant (U)

All screenings will take place in the evening from 9 pm and audience members must collect their tickets from the Valletta Cultural Agency. 

“This event builds on our commitment to celebrating culture and continuing to support artists as well as the film industry. We are continuing to hold more cultural activities in our country,” Minister Bonnici stated.