Malta Yearbook : The cinema in Malta

Abstract

The population of Malta, like that of Southern Ireland is undoubtedly cinema-minded. The average number of visits made to the cinema in Malta in the course of a year is higher than it would be in the United Kingdom. The reason for this popularity of the moves is that other forms of entertainment are lacking. Theatres are few, night-clubs non-existent, dirt-tracks, grey-hound racing, ice-hockey, and especially television are unknown, libraries are rare and are not particularly well patronised. There is but one stadium and playing fields, in spite of the admirable efforts of the M.P.F.A., are still very few. With increasing leisure, a higher standard of life, the growing perfection of the "talkie" film, the cinema has met the demand of the public for more entertainment. The cinema's popularity has shown definite signs of waning in other lands; not so in Malta. Ever since the film industry was started in this island, with hut one single exception, no cinema has had to close its doors on account of bankruptcy. Each year new cinemas are opened; the film exhibitors pay handsome sums to the Inland revenue besides making profits for themselves.