Luzzu

I liked this film almost instantly, cos it was so new and on-topic, about fisherman and boats inherited from generations before like almost forever... (as about as Christian as you can get) even if they do speak mostly Maltease with some English subtitles, when speaking English. I have personal experience of all these things, including spending 2 weeks with my then Girlfriend about 45 years ago in St Paul's Bay and getting the Ferry to Gozo.. My Mum, very Christian and religious had just got back from Malta, and she suggested us two had only just met would love it and we did... But this film is not about my ancient history (we split up)..but about the love of a man and a woman and their baby and trying to survive in the most difficult circumstances, when the small fishing boats are replaced by trawlers destroying the sea bed in the med, which I know well The acting is so good, its almost like a documentary..In fact most of the actors are very much for real Malteasers. They just seem so completely innocent, and want their lives involving the most beautiful wooden hand painted fishing boats to go on, after they have rebuilt them. I'm sure it will. This film is not heavy. It's soft and nice portraying the lives of real people who live in Malta now.

Maltese-American filmmaker Alex Camilleri's 2021 drama is a little gem of a film. The film which essentially charts the decline (partly for technological, partly for environmental reasons) of the Maltese fishing industry is remarkable for a number of reasons. Not least of these is the fact that the director cast mostly non-professional actors including (real-life fisherman) Jesmark Scicluna as the film's 'man out of time', Jesmark, whose profession is disappearing before his eyes, as EU quotas reduce potential catches and more powerful 'market forces' reduce the potential for profitable small-scale fishing. Such a subject matter could, on the face of it, be regarded as somewhat dry, but Camilleri transforms the drama into an existential dilemma for Jesmark, whose boat (luzzu), with its humanistic eyes, embodies the fisherman's entire community and sense of being. The naturalism Camilleri achieves here, with some verité camerawork courtesy of cinematographer Léo Lefèvre, the film's 'authentic' cast and the often wild Mediterranean coastal setting qualifies Luzzu as an obvious (neo-realistic, if you like) successor to early neo-realist films by the likes of Luchino Visconti (particularly La terra trema) and Roberto Rossellini. Such a 'realist' backdrop might, though, be somewhat distancing for its audience if it weren't for the way Camilleri 'ensnares' his audience via the obsessively proud Jesmark's engaging personal story - with wife and 3-month old son (who requires expensive medical attention) struggling to make ends meet and Jesmark attempting to resist the temptation of seeking help from his wealthy parents-in-law. One cannot overestimate the strength and (stubborn) conviction of Scicluna's turn here, not to mention the novice actor's amazing show of subdued restraint in such an emotive role. Camilleri should, of course, take much of the credit, both in painting Jesmark's engrossing personal tale but also in the skilled way in which the visuals - essentially depicting Jesmark's 'small man' against the 'greater powers' - reiterate the film's central theme, as Jesmark is frequently shown against a backdrop of a towering, modern container port, EU environmental regulations cut through centuries of Jesmark's family's fishing traditions and Jesmark eventually hits upon the market 'scam' which might alleviate his financial problems (even if it means the fisherman having to compromise his 'moral principles'). The moral dilemma Jesmark faces (and the film's pacing) adds an almost thriller-like level of tenson as we try to guess which path he will eventually follow and the concluding scene of Jesmark taking his 'family member' (luzzu) to its final 'resting place' is almost unbearably moving. Outside of some of the 40s and 50s Italian neorealist films, an obvious comparator for me was also the films of Ken Loach, particularly those that are less overtly political and in which a central protagonist finds themselves essentially a victim of circumstance (and drawn into nefarious activities), such as Sweet Sixteen and My Name Is Joe. Whatever, Camilleri's film comes highly recommended.

This was a well acted and beautifully shot film. The story is a slow burn about a man who came from a long line of fisherman in a changing economy where his trade is quickly dying off. The protagonist is faced with many existential questions about his life, how to provide for his family, fairness, and ultimately his role in a changing world. While the film can come off as very slow, I felt the ending really made the story feel quite important.

LUZZU 2021 (BBCIPlayer) This is the first film I've ever seen (to my knowledge) filmed in and made on Malta. In an interesting twist on EU fishing quotas. Coming from Kingston upon Hull, home of the largest fishing industry in the 1960s, long since decimated by restrictions and quotas by the EU In this film Jesmark, a fisherman like his father before him, is struggling with lack of fish and too many restriction. The tag line is "A man risks everything to provide for his wife and newborn son by entering Malta's black-market fishing industry" Fighting his guilt of having to change his ancestry we have a dilemma, whilst the expectations of his wife and her aspirational family put strain on their relationship and his friendships with other fisherman. Does he decommission his boat and take EU compensation like so many others. Overall its a good film, the story is slight, but the setting and its origins make it a worthy 6/10.

It's quite a good drama, which, although gripping, reveals the main character's severe internal conflict. The protagonist is a man named Zhesmark, a fisherman in his generation. The favorite occupation does not bring a high income, and the funds are not even enough for basic needs. And there is also a family - a woman and a small son, in whom doctors suspect a disease. A difficult life situation leads to tectonic shifts in his worldview. The central character steps over himself, his beliefs and moral principles in order to earn the money needed for the family. He takes on any job, leaves his comfort zone and ends up where he shouldn't have gone. Everything here works very well. Yes, the lead actor, in my humble opinion, is not too emotional and could have played better. Others simply did their job well. The creative team managed to reveal the plot, convey the atmosphere of a society with canons and an ancient craft, which cannot adapt to modern realities and is doomed to decline. Conclusion. Of course, this is a festival movie that not everyone will like. But it is really worth watching it once.

A sneak peek into Maltase coastline life. Not a very engaging storyline, yet the freshness of location did make a difference. With a feel of history, passion, family, business, money, corruption elements the movie is watchable.

"Luzzu" starts innocently enough with a solitary fisherman plying his trade, and though it touches on a wide variety of big topics - fatherhood, tradition, working-class struggles, Brexit" as well as a thoughtful character study, it never loses the charm of the opening minutes. A story about a third generation Maltese fisherman, played by an actual Maltese fisherman, not only feels true, but has a warm vibe only good fiction can bring. You can almost smell the sea breeze. Stamped with his baby footprint, "Luzzu" is the colourful family boat passed down for generations, that serious family man Jesmark Scicluna puts to sea on a daily basis. Trouble is the fishing industry is morphing into an unsustainable one, for the little guys anyway. A new born with special medical needs, and thus costs, puts a strain on the family, and Jesmark is asked to consider a career change. Squeezed by big fish, various restrictions, and cutthroat, often illegal competition, this really is a lone man vs. The sea tale. While Jesmark's decision is a life altering one, and deftly describes the current political situation of many smaller European strugglers, it plays second fiddle to the personal trials of the defiant fisherman. A man of few words, he carries the weight of his world on broad shoulders, seeking to hold on to his heritage right to the breaking point. Though forced to play the new game in town, a seemingly beaten Jesmark closes the movie with a moving parable to his infant son. A story about a boat, which over the years has been patched up so many times that very little of it remains, but yet, it still remains that boat. "Luzza" is a clever and affectionate tale about conflict, struggle, family, and the determination to retain one's humanity. A winner all around. hipCRANK.

A man attempts to keep up the family tradition of fishing with a small wooden boat. Malta makes a stunning setting for the story. The EU has made it almost impossible for the small time fishermen to make a living. The underground economy is a dark and sad commentary on globalization. The cast is excellent and Luzzu is one of the best films of the year.

Story about living off of fishing near Malta. The EU is paying fisherwomen & men not to fish in order to save certain marine species from going extinct. Story centers around illegal fish trade, and families making a living. Film failed to explain why restrictions were necessary.

"Luzzu" is a sensitive film, full of allegory, and a stupendous and extraordinary performance by Jesmark Scicluna as Jesmark, a many-generation Maltese fisherman who struggles to choose between his passion for the sea and his family in the land. The director manages to draw so much reality and emotions from both Jesmark Scicluna and Filip Sertic that their passion for fishing is very clear. The film is spectacular in showing the simplicity of fishermen against the underground fishing black market, the contradictions between tradition or falling into the unfair capitalist world, going after their dreams ("...a fish stays in a bowl never grows...' or family stability. As one reviewer stated so well: "It's that kind of movies that say so much by saying almost nothing.". As one reviewer stated so well: "It's that kind of movies that say so much by saying almost nothing.". I also want to point out that the plot of this movie serves much to the current big film industry: How is it possible that a movie like this or the performance of the ensemble cast is ignored by the major award competitions????? Yeah!!!! Small and beautifully fish fighting against big sharks.