The locally- filmed “Żafżifa” is set to premiere in Maltese theatres on 1st May.It was shot on 16mm film with open sets and non-professional actors and the story unfolds as an emotional journey of yearning, skepticism and hope. “Żafżifa’s” stories are not imagined but drawn from lived experiences, gradually building toward an architectural and emotional collapse.Without spoiling too much, “Żafżifa” is set in Buġibba, Malta. The film presents a corrosive portrait of a man who returns to the island to discover that his friends, taking advantage of the changing economy, have moved on with their lives. Haunted by a mysterious past, he seeks to free himself from the relentless progress that surrounds him.The film originally premiered globally on 15th November at the 46th Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF) and can soon be enjoyed by the local people.The writer, director and film-maker, Peter Sant, said that the idea of progress was central to the film and wanted to explore the belief in an upward trajectory towards a future that is better than the present.Sant is an Australian-born, Malta-based filmmaker and artist. He made his feature debut with “Baħar Żmien” (Of Time and the Sea) in 2018, which premiered at FIDMarseille. His short film “Zero” (2020) screened at IFFR. Peter holds an MA from the Slade School of Fine Art and works as an educator, filmmaker, and musicianWhat makes it even more compelling is the remarkable diversity of the cast. The main ensemble includes Dimitros Giannakoudakis as Dimitros, who is Maltese-Greek; Crishelle Medrano as Annie, from the Philippines; Mehdi Aoumi as Karim, who is French-Tunisian; Zhohaib Anjum as Rana, from Pakistan; and the late Marylu Coppini as Ms Cutajar, a Maltese actress. Coppini, the mother-in-law of Peter Sant, delivers a poignant final performance, bringing her signature wit to a role that serves as a fitting bookend to her distinguished career.The film was produced by Angélique Muller and Peter Sant, with editing by Daniel Goddard, Emma Van Den Berg, and Peter Sant. Sound design was overseen by Peter Sant, while colour grading was handled by Romain Pourieux of Shaman Labs. The dubbing mix was completed by Ben Carr.The premiere will be at Eden Cinemas on 1st of may and tickets will go on sale next week. After the premier, film enthusiasts can watch “Żafżifa” from 13th May onwards in local theatres.Tag a friend to go watch it together!Credit: @zafzifafilm via Instagram•