New film 'inspired' by Simshar tragedy

Kukumajsa Productions Ltd is starting the shooting of the film 'Simshar', a fiction story inspired by the tragedy which struck a Maltese fishing boat of the same name in 2008. Written by Rebecca Cremona and David Grech and directed by Rebecca Cremona  'Simshar' will be a feature-length fiction film and not a documentary, the producers said. "The project is a precedent for the indigenous film industry and showcases our island's abundant talent as well as its rich culture. This film is as much about the culture and traditions of Maltese people, as it is about the triumph of the will to persevere." ‘Simshar’ tells the story of a Maltese fishing boat which blows up leaving its crew stranded in open water… Also in the Mediterranean, a medic is kept hostage on a vessel harbouring rescued African migrants, which Malta and Italy refuse access to… The stories unravel in parallel and culminate in tragedy when the fishermen are spotted but not rescued, being mistaken for African boat people. In 2008 Simon Bugeja was rescued, barely alive, after his fishing boat Simshar blew up in mysterious circumstances seven days previously. His father Karmenu, 61, Noel Carabott, 33, Somali Abdulrahman...