By way of The Netherlands, Croatia, Brazil and the Sahara Desert, the mobile solar-powered cinema now makes its way to various public spaces across Malta and Gozo. Solar Cinema offers a curated programme of local and international short films, thought-provoking documentaries, animations and feature films that tackle diverse issues, with a focus on the themes of sustainabilty and the environment.
Visitors are invited to bring a cushion or a chair to free open-air screenings and post-film discussions. Solar Cinema is also working on stop-motion film workshops for children that bear a green theme thanks to the use of recycled materials. The short films produced in the workshops will be screened on Maltese beaches between May-October 2018 for the children’s family and friends to enjoy!
For more information about screenings and films being shown, visit the Solar Cinema Facebook page.
Find below a programme for screenings:
Family friendly short films
A fine selection of short films for young and old to enjoy together!
11th May 8.30pm Republic Square, Żurrieq
26th July 8.30pm St Gregory Gardens, Żejtun
Feature Documentaries
Two Trumpets for St Andrew
Two Trumpets for St. Andrew is an Australian documentary film that follows the rivalry between two band clubs in the village of Luqa in 1968. John Calleja and Anthony Theuma are the two main protagonists. We are introduced to their way of life and to their passion for their respective band clubs. Both men take us to their place of work – the military air base and the Malta dockyard. Shot while the British occupation was ending and Malta’s independence was at its inception, this film offers a rare view of how Maltese village life was at the time.
22nd May 8.30pm Dokkiena Parvis, Dokkiena Street, Luqa
Sonic Sea
Oceans are a sonic symphony. Sound is essential to the survival and prosperity of marine life. But man-made ocean noise is threatening this fragile world. Sonic Sea is about protecting life in our waters from the destructive effects of oceanic noise pollution. Sonic Sea highlights how ocean noise is harming whales around the planet, causing mass strandings and destroying their ability to communicate. It tells the story of a former U.S. Navy officer who solved a tragic mystery and forever changed the way we understand our impact on the ocean. The film is narrated by the Oscar-nominated actress Rachel McAdams and features interviews with Grammy Award-winning musician, human rights and environmental activist Sting, as well as the renowned oceanographic explorers and educators Sylvia Earle and Jean-Michel Cousteau.
10th June 8.30pm Malta National Aquarium, St Paul’s Bay
Dolphin Man
Narrated by Jean-Marc Barr, the actor who famously portrayed Mayol in The Big Blue, the film weaves together stunning contemporary underwater photography of the world’s leading free-divers with intimate testimonies of Mayol’s closest friends and family and rare film archive.
17th July 8.30pm Wied iż-Żurrieq, Qrendi
19th July 8.30pm Wied iż-Żurrieq, Qrendi
*Kindly note that due to strong winds, this screening has been rescheduled to Thursday 19th July 8.30pm at the same location, Wied ż-Żurrieq, Qrendi.*
Feature animated films
Boy and the World
A visually captivating, hand-drawn animated feature film that has won several film awards around the world. A little boy called Cuca lives a life of quiet wonder, exploring all that the countryside has to offer, but his cosy life is shattered when his father leaves for the city, prompting him to embark on a quest to reunite his family. The young boy’s journey unfolds like a tapestry, the animation taking on greater complexity and variety as his small world expands. Simple line drawings of the village give way to broad brushstrokes forming giant bushels of cotton lining country roads and sweeps of pastel churned into roaring waves. Approaching the city, industrial landscapes are inhabited by animal-machines, whirling carnival colours and exploding fireworks fill the sky above decoupage favelas, while flashing neon advertisements and garish shop windows illuminate the night. This is a story of hope, filled with exuberant music – an adventure that both young and old will enjoy.
3rd July 8.30pm Ta’ Xbiex Yacht Marina, Ta’ Xbiex
13th August 8.30pm Chinese Garden of Serenity, St Lucia
The Red Turtle
The Red Turtle is an animated film by the famous Japanese studio – Studio Ghibli. A beautifully moving film about a sailor who is shipwrecked on a tropical deserted island. As the man tries to devise a successful plan to escape the island he encounters a red turtle which changes his life. A magical dialogue-free film, The Red Turtle has won the Un Certain Regard Special Prize at Cannes Film Festival in 2016.
21st August 8.30pm Għajn Tuffieħa Scout Campsite, Mellieħa
Short film programme: Go Greener Shorts #1
A short film programme with quirky and inspirational environmental films.
Exploring our relationship with nature and the inventive ways of dealing with our changing surroundings and climate. Look what happens when the wind stops blowing or learn how the arctic can become our future holiday resort.
19th June 8.30pm St Joseph Square, Qala (Gozo)
18th September 8.00pm Kalkara Playground, Kalkara (a mix of Go Greener
Shorts #1 and Go Greener Shorts #2 for children)
Short film programme: Go Greener Shorts #2
A short film programme about creative environmental ideas.
Recycle, Recover and Reuse! Be inventive, stop wasting and start creating!
We have the films to inspire you.
15th May 8.30pm Piazza Ospedale, Żebbuġ
2nd August 8.30pm Misraħ San Ġużepp, Msida (in front of Parish Church)
Short film programme: Encounters
A short film programme about strange rendezvous. Our lives are full of encounters and sometimes we meet in remarkable situations and places.
29th May 8.30pm Sir Anthony Mamo Gardens (behind Church of St
Helen), Birkirkara
Short film programme: Best of our Fest
2nd October 8.30pm Ġnien Pawlu Boffa (Next to Paola local council), Paola
Short film programme: Into the Deep End
A short film programme about taking a plunge. Jump into these films but be aware of unexpected visitors and some diving giraffes!
5th June 8.30pm St Matthew Square (Tal-Maqluba), Qrendi
21st September 8.00pm Ċentru Rikreattiv (Recreational Center, Lija
Short film programme: Enroute
A short film programme about travelling to unknown places. Always on the road, travelling, passing by, migrating and fleeing. Enroute, whether you like it or not. We are always on our way somewhere.
12th June 8.30pm Mortimer Playground – Next to Exiles, by the Tower, Sliema
7th August 8.30pm Selmun Chapel, Selmun, Mellieħa
Short film programme: Memories
A short film programme about memories and the mind. Fresh or old, memories create new stories in our minds.
16th June 8.30pm Pope John Paul II Square, Mellieħa
11th September 8.00pm St Lawrence Square, St Lawrence (Gozo)
Short film programme: About the Sea
A short film programme featuring stories of the sea. Experience all the different shapes of the sea, with its challenging waves and mesmerising colours. These are the stories of the sea and the lives of the people it touches.
29th June 8.30pm Mifsud Bonnici Square (Fuq il-Bridge), Marsaskala
Marsascala
9th July 8.30pm Ramla Bay, Xagħra (Gozo)
Short film programme: Sense of Belonging (Recommend for a mature audience)
A short film programme about unsettling pursuits. What if you have lost your sense of belonging? Have you ever felt unwanted? There are many causes to feel unsettled and lost. Aren’t we all searching for a sense of belonging?
30th July 8.30pm Howard Gardens, Mdina