4 comments so far.Filfla as you’ve never seen it before in new underwater documentary
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Filfla, a tiny islet plateau surrounded by some of the richest marine life in the Maltese islands, will this year feature in a detailed documentary funded by the Malta Airport Foundation.
The trailer of the documentary was released today. An award-winning crew, which includes the 2015 winner of the BAFTA award for factual cinematography, has spent months filming the marine life around the Maltese archipelago’s tiniest and most protected islet.
“Filfla has been one of the most difficult places to film. The currents are dangerous and unforgiving, which resulted in many dives being carried out just to familiarise ourselves with the place since very few people ever explored the islet’s outer reefs,” said Pedja, one of the directors of the documentary.
The underwater documentary will take viewers closer than they have ever been around the waters surrounding the island of Filfla, which is a Marine Protected Area (MPA) off-bounds to human activity. In fact, special permission had to be requested for each dive, from the Malta Environment and Planning Authority as well as Transport Malta.
The 20-minute final documentary is expected to be released mid-2016.
A joint venture by the Malta Airport Foundation, Monolith Limited and Prof. Alan Deidun from the University of Malta, this is the latest instalment in a series of underwater documentaries about the local sea habitat. Monolith and Prof. Alan Deidun already collaborated in the past within the EU-funded PANACEA project to produce documentaries on 3 other local Marine Protected Areas (Rdum Majjiesa, Mgarr ix-Xini and Dwejra), all of which are available on youtube. The documentaries are aimed at educating people and garnering support for conservation efforts.
“With more than 60,000 scuba divers visiting Malta each year, it is clear that safeguarding our islands’ cultural and environmental capital is crucial to sustain our tourism product,” said Malta Airport Foundation’s Chairperson, Mr Fredrick Mifsud Bonnici.
The Malta Airport Foundation was set up in 2014 to independently manage and implement the airport’s Corporate Responsibility (CR) projects and investments for maximum impact and transparency.
The Foundation recently undertook to fund the restoration of the iconic Xutu Tower in Wied Iz-Zurrieq together with heritage NGO Din l-Art Helwa.
“This latest project reflects the Foundation’s strong commitment to restoring, beautifying and adding value to Malta’s southern region for the enjoyment of the Maltese public and tourists alike,” Mr Mifsud Bonnici added.
Hopefully this will be forever . Please keep visitors far away .
But there are also other places to keep visitors and Fisherman away .
In the last 12 years sea life has change not to the best !
ironically another Maltese marine protected area without any PROTECTION. Divers restricted and required special permit..by fishermen still allowed to fish without enforcement. We have NO Real Marine protected areas around Malta. Marine protected areas around our island are just on paper
Any possiblity of UXB’s? After all for a long time the British Navy used it for target practice.
Went there September 2014 by special permit & were warned not to touch anything nor stand on anything for obvious reasons. Very disappointed as no sealife whatsoever. On the PROTECTION front, we have seen several people using harpuns/spear guns openly at Zonqor Point. And shocked to see clear notices stating that it is illegal to use harpuns/spear guns in the area. Just goes to show how much some people observe & obey the law. Disgraceful!