Maltese film admissions doubled in 2024 – but is it a turning point or a one-off?

Cinemas across Malta and Gozo recorded more than 555,000 admissions in 2024, with the overwhelming majority of tickets sold for big-budget international blockbusters. Despite their small share, Maltese productions saw a notable rise in both viewership and revenue, suggesting growing local interest in homegrown stories – though industry professionals warn that the sector’s overall health still hinges on long-term structural support.

According to newly released data from the National Statistics Office (NSO), a total of 391 different film titles were screened across 30,838 sessions last year. These were shown in six cinema establishments, including two in Gozo, together housing 23 screens and almost 3,900 seats.

While foreign productions – especially those from the United States – dominated the local box office with over 547,000 admissions and €4.59 million in revenue, Maltese films managed to more than double their admissions from the year prior. In 2024, local productions drew 8,279 viewers, generating €66,143 in receipts across 174 screenings. That’s a marked improvement over 2023, when Maltese films attracted 4,884 viewers and earned just over €20,000.

Despite these encouraging figures, local films still accounted for just 1.5 per cent of all cinema admissions.

For Larissa Bonaci , founder and producer at Nokkla Productions, the increase is a reflection of a growing public desire to see stories that reflect Maltese culture, identity, and contemporary life. She tells BusinessNow.mt that improved production values and stronger marketing efforts have contributed to this rise. However, she also pointed to a persistent issue: Maltese films are often relegated to less accessible screening times or unpopular days, limiting their potential to perform well.

In her view, achieving more consistent and visible cinema slots would be a key step forward. She also highlighted the need for stronger collaboration between filmmakers, government entities, and distributors. Joint marketing efforts and better data on audience trends, she said, could empower producers to make more informed decisions and promote the sustainability of the sector.

Beyond production, Ms Bonaci stressed the importance of greater support for distribution – something she feels is often overlooked. Funding that facilitates international festival submissions, subtitling, dubbing, and streaming platform partnerships could significantly increase the reach of local films, she argued. A centralised online platform for Maltese productions could also help audiences, including those abroad, discover and access these works more easily.

Ms Bonaci also sees a positive side to Malta’s popularity as a destination for international shoots. She noted that foreign productions bring considerable value, not just economically, but in terms of job creation and skill development. Still, she believes more could be done to encourage meaningful collaboration between international and local creatives – such as through co-productions or knowledge-sharing initiatives – which would help create a more balanced and sustainable ecosystem for Maltese storytelling.

Meanwhile, Abigail Mallia, director and co-founder of Take//Two, offered a more cautious interpretation of the NSO’s statistics. She acknowledged the success of Castillo, a Maltese production that topped the box office for three consecutive weeks, but said this shouldn’t be mistaken as a sign that the industry is thriving across the board.

In her words, Castillo was a standout success, but it doesn’t reflect the wider state of the sector. The spike in admissions, she suggested, was likely due to this singular success rather than an industry-wide breakthrough. Still, she argued, the film’s performance shows that Maltese audiences are willing to turn out for local films when they are available and compellingly promoted.

As Malta continues to attract large-scale foreign productions, industry insiders are increasingly calling for parallel investment in local talent and storytelling. The numbers, they suggest, may finally be starting to move – but keeping that momentum alive will require more than just occasional success stories.