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LOVE, SEX, DRUGS & MONEY completes Malta filming

October 19, 2001

Filming has been completed in Malta on the Ska Films production of Love, Sex, Drugs and Money starring Madonna and written and directed by Guy Ritchie.

Based at the Mediterranean Film Studios, the production ended its three week shoot on schedule on 19 October.

A spokesperson for the production said “Ska ‘Swept Away' Films Ltd would like to thank everyone who supported and contributed in making the Malta shoot such a success – in particular, Air Malta, the Office of the Manager for Airport Security (OMAS) for their excellent cooperation and organisation, the Producer's Creative Partnership, the Mediterranean Film Studios, Grand Harbour Marina, the Government of Malta and the Maltese public.”

Love, Sex, Drugs and Money is produced by Matthew Vaughn with co-producers Adam Bohling and David Reid. The film also stars Adriano Giannini, Bruce Greenwood, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Elisabeth Banks, Michael Beattie and David Thornton. The film will be distributed by Sony.

The cast and crew now move on to Sardegna for a further three weeks of filming.

For further information, please contact: Patric Scott, unit publicist: +44 7774 884 771 / E-mail: pscott4publicity@aol.com

Click here for exclusive interview with Guy Ritchie

US actor to star in Julius Ceaser

The Times of Malta - October 20, 2001

US actor Jeremy Sisto, who played the title role in the CBS mini-series Jesus, has been reported in the trade magazine Hollywood Reporter to have signed a "seven-figure deal" to star in TNT`s big-budget mini-series Julius Caesar, which is scheduled to be shot in Malta between the end of the month and January. Sisto is portraying Caesar.

The 27-year-old actor stars in Angel Eyes, with Jennifer Lopez, which is currently being screened in Maltese cinemas. He was also seen in Moonlight and Valentino (1995) and Ridley Scott`s White Squall (1996), partly shot in Malta.

Julius Caesar, for which the set at Fort Ricasoli is almost complete, is budgeted at $18 million.

It is reuniting Sisto with executive producer Lorenzo Minoli, who also executive produced Jesus, which was partly shot in Malta in 1999.

Jeremy Sisto during the filming of 'Jesus' in 1999

"Jeremy is a very vibrant actor with an incredible range and commanding presence, and I`m very, very happy to be working with him again," Minoli has been quoted as saying.

Malta is not lacking on the celebrity front these days, with top model Claudia Schiffer having arrived on the island on Tuesday and staying at Hilton Malta.

The blonde belle was accompanying her partner Ska Films producer Matthew Vaughn, who was in Malta briefly during filming of the movie Love, Sex, Drugs and Money.

She was spotted visiting the President`s Palace in Valletta yesterday.

Ragae music video filmed in Malta

August 30, 2001

The stunning beauty of Gnejna rock on the north-west coastline of Malta was the location for a German music video shot last week.   The Sunflash song is being released by BMG and is sung by Jamaican artist known best as Ringo.

 

Directed by David Incorvaia, the video is expected to be broadcast shortly on Viva and MTV.  It involved Maltese youngsters dancing and having a joyful experience on the sun drenched beach.

 

Filming was conducted mainly within one 16-hour day and the total Maltese crew formed 75% of the entire crew.  The foreign production team resided in the Artiste Village of the Mediterranean Film Studios.

Noah's Chocolate Twist

The Malta Independent - March 30, 2001

Malta's picturesque countryside and the water facilities at Rinella will feature in a 'Time Out' chocolate commercial, which will be screened internationally in cinemas and on television within the next few weeks.

The filming of the British-made commercial took place at Mtahleb and in the shallow tank of Mediterranean Film Studios.

The commercial gives a comical twist to the biblical story of Noah's Ark. Noah is building his ark at Mtahleb, and experiencing difficulties in its construction. In frustration he decides to take a break and have a snack. But because of the time he wasted enjoying his chocolate snack he failed to meet the deadline for building the ark. His zebras, llamas and a long string of other animals must instead resort to finding alternative transport.

"A lot of visual effects will be done in London and we're picking up all the essential elements here to make this possible', explained Maltese production manager Malcolm Scerri-Ferrante, "It's naturally not easy directing wild animals on a raft out at sea".

Shooting the sequence of Noah's workshop on location at Mtahleb cliffs