The photographer and film director and producer discusses his approach to documentary and artistic creation

An interview with Fabrizio Maltese, producer for Luxembourgish company Joli Rideau Media, now selected for the 2024 Emerging Producers programme. Read his EP profile here.

Why do you produce documentaries?
Fabrizio Maltese: I have always been fascinated by the power of true stories that sometimes surpass fiction. This power becomes even greater when the story seems tiny and irrelevant but with development and reflection one finds universal values that can be conveyed and inspire the audience. Documentaries offer the freedom of telling a story without the boundaries of form, allowing me to explore, as both producer and filmmaker, new ways of treating the themes I cherish.

Do you see documentary cinema as an instrument of social and political change?
Although this is not the main reason why I make documentaries, I believe that the strength of this form is to highlight relevant stories that can make people think and thus provoke a movement for change. Already being able to make someone's attention focus on a specific issue and to make them think about it can be considered as a positive impact of documentary filmmaking.

How do you achieve and maintain work-life balance and foster overall well-being?
Maintaining a good work-life balance is essential not only to one's well-being but also to professional performance. Over time, I have learnt to regard wellbeing as one of the most important investments one can make. That is why I always try to include moments of recharging, concentration, meditation and exercise in my personal schedule.

Where do you find audiences for your films?
When I think about how to make a film known, I always reflect on which festival might select it. Knowing the different editorial lines, specificities and tastes of festivals –  and of their programmers – helps a lot in creating a strategy. It is also important to create a 'story' with one or more festivals. Go there regularly, even without films, to follow developments. A good opening at a festival can allow the film to find an audience and is the basis of a sales and distribution strategy.

What projects do you have underway?
I am currently co-producing a hybrid project by Jim Sheridan and David Merriman in which the directors use fiction to interrogate reality. This project was selected at the Venice Production Bridge last year and should be ready in 2024. Another co-production I joined is the latest film by George Ovashvili which is currently shooting in Georgia. In addition to this, I currently have a few more documentaries at different stages in the pipeline.

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EMERGING PRODUCERS is a leading promotional and educational project, which brings together talented European documentary film producers. The programme is organised and curated by the Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival.

Deadline for applications to the EMERGING PRODUCERS 2025 edition is 31st March 2024.