In Appreciation of PAUL AVELLINO

by Malcolm Scerri-Ferrante

The Times of Malta - April 18th, 2000

The passing away of Paul Avellino yesterday was a shock to the local film industry.  For his family and closest friends it must of course have been a very painful experience, despite the preparation for this inevitable moment.

Paul Avellino can best be described as a real gentleman who literally gave his life for the local film industry.

I met him quite by chance some 12 years ago.  He was a guest speaker at a seminar on the future of the cinema in Malta.  He was 25 years deep into his career while I was a young man desperate to break into the film industry.  That casual encounter was to blossom into one of the greatest and most inspiring friendships I have ever experienced.

The film industry is a cutthroat industry with 'sharks' disguised even as the closest of friends.  But Paul could be distinguished from the rest through his sincerity and honesty, coupled with a great sense of professionalism.  Despite the many backstabbing "friends" he encountered, he still knew how to forgive, even when he could not forget.

Paul became involved in the film industry 35 years ago when Malta Film Facilities was in its infancy and the first water tank was still under construction.  He was eventually to manage the studios at different times, depending largely on the whims of politicians, some of whom had little concern for the best interests of the film industry.

Over the past few years Paul used to talk often about his high and low years at the studios, regretting the lack of appreciation from many local authorities.  He often wondered whether it had been worth declining the many opportunities he had to work abroad.

But he never lacked appreciation from respected foreign film-makers who vowed to return to Malta with him at the helm of MFS.  The studios had fast become his baby, to the extent that he would literally sleep there for days on end.

Last week Paul handed me a note expressing one of his last wishes.  He asked for a commemorative plaque to be fixed on the studio property in remembrance of "founder and promoter: James Bejamin Hole (Jimmy)".

Back in 1964 special effects wizard Jim Hole had a dream of building the first ever water filming facility in the world, a facility which was to create a bustle of filming activity on this island and which is today taken so much for granted.

The above plaque in commemoration of Jim Hole was Paul Avellino's

dying wish to Malcolm Scerri-Ferrante. Paul had not asked to have his

name included.