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Cats of Malta

Cats of Malta
Cats of Malta
Directed by	Sarah Jayne
Produced by	Ivan Malekin
Cinematography	Ivan Malekin
Edited by	Ivan Malekin
Music by	Asher Pope
Production; company	Nexus Production Group
Running time	68 minutes
Country	Malta
Language	English

Cats of Malta is a 2022 documentary film from Malta. It is directed by Sarah Jayne Portelli and produced by Ivan Malekin. Cats of Malta is an award winning, family-friendly documentary giving a voice to the island’s stray cats. ^[1]

Plot

Through candid interviews with charismatic local feeders, artists and volunteers, Cats of Malta takes audiences on a journey through the colourful cat colonies, cat cafes, cat parks and streets that define the island.

But Cats of Malta is not just a film about cats, it’s a film about the power of community and the strength found within the human-cat connection. ^[2]

Each interview reveals a little more about the place of stray cats in Malta, giving insight into the inner workings of Malta’s cat community, their highs and lows, the mental health benefits cats provide locals and tourists, and how cats unite the island.

These heartfelt stories are sometimes funny, sometimes poignant, sometimes educational. But each story will make audiences feel a rainbow of emotions and fall in love with the cats that are the heart of the island. ^[3]

Production

Principal photography on Cats of Malta began in March 2020, during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, at Independence Garden, located in Sliema, Malta. Within these early stages the tiny crew consisted of two people – director and producer Sarah Jayne Portelli and editor, producer and cinematographer Ivan Malekin of Maltese film production company Nexus Production Group Ltd.[4]^[4]

Cats of Malta was one of the first feature films to begin principle photography and production in Malta during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.

Principal photography on the film was completed in June 2020. Additional footage and pick-ups were filmed during the editing process throughout 2020 and early 2021.

Film Festivals

The world premiere of Cats of Malta took place at The Melbourne Documentary Film Festival, Melbourne, Australia on Monday July, 25th 2022 at Federation Square.^[5] Cats of Malta had its US premiere at the 13th Chagrin Falls Documentary Film Festival, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, on October 8th 2022 . The free film screening was held outdoors at Riverside Park, Chagrin Falls, and was opened by the Mayor Bill Koons, and preceded by a Felines on Parade event where the public attended with their cats. Also in attendance were Rescue Village, a humane society in Geauga County, Ohio, that focuses its effort on the Cleveland area's eastern communities.

Release

The film was released on digital streaming platforms on September 21st, 2023 in Malta and Spanish-speaking Latin American territories, September 25th, 2023 in the UK and Ireland, and on October 11th, 2023 in France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland by Under The Milky Way. On the 3rd of October 2023, Cats of Malta was released in the US and Canada by Lion Heart Distribution on various digital streaming platforms.

Reception

Critical Response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 8 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.10 out of 10 Rating.

Top Critic on Rotten Tomatoes Leslie Felperin from The Guardian wrote "The film’s tone and purpose are a little hazy at times, making this not as satisfying as spending a good hour browsing cat memes, but it is still soft, fuzzy and purr-inducing”. Critic John Noonan from FilmInk (Australia) wrote "Endearing and heart-warming, Cats of Malta avoids being simply an extended YouTube video of cats frolicking by highlighting how members of the community are brought together.” Critic Michael Talbot-Haynes from Film Threat wrote "What a lovely opportunity Portelli offers us to look into all the little furry faces of the Maltese free-range felines. She captures the jaunty arrogance of an outdoor cat that invigorates the senses." Eddie Harrison of Film Authority wrote, "…with sunny settings, and a jaw-dropping community of feline characters to follow, Cats of Malta is a transmogrifying experience for viewers...cat-lovers worldwide will want to make an appointment with these feline friends and those who care for them…”

References

[1] "Multi-Award Winning and Heart-Warming Documentary 'Cats of Malta'".

[2] "We are moving stories".

[3] "New film to pay tribute to stray cats of Malta".

[4] "Nexus Production Group Ltd".

[5] "The Melbourne Documentary Film Festival".

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