Arts Council Malta has partnered with Malta Comic Con 2026 to create professional development opportunities for practitioners in the island’s domestic film sector, giving a select group of local film professionals subsidised access to the event and its industry programme.
Working through its Domestic Film Unit, the council collaborated with Malta Comic Con organisers to provide a limited number of entry tickets to individuals active in domestic film production. Those tickets opened access not only to the general convention but to a dedicated film-focused strand within it, the counci said in a statement.
The programme centred on two activities. The first was a Film Directing Masterclass led by Neil Marshall, the British director, writer and editor known for his work across both film and television. The second was an Actors Discussion Panel moderated by Chris Thompson, which brought together a selection of actors attending the convention as guests and gave local professionals the chance to hear directly from working industry figures.
Arts Council Malta Executive Chairman Luke Dalli said the council viewed the partnership as a way of converting an established cultural event into something of more direct professional utility. “By bringing international industry professionals to Malta and creating spaces for local practitioners to engage directly with them, we are helping to turn an already valuable cultural event into an opportunity for professional development, knowledge exchange and networking,” he said.
Lyona Xuereb Gatt, Head of the Domestic Film Development and Strategy Unit, described the access as practical rather than merely aspirational. “Bringing Malta’s emerging film professionals face to face with professionals of this calibre makes that support practical and immediately relevant to their own careers,” she said.
Arts Council Malta’s involvement in Malta Comic Con 2026 forms part of its continuing effort to build professional networking and knowledge-sharing infrastructure for those working within the island’s domestic film sector.
