Circle Jan2018 low

JANUARY 2018 – ISSUE NO. 276 

SOLV 

ING THE 

AIDS PROBLEM 

IN MALT 

TA 

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ge 

8 

MAMMA MIA, 

IT’S MY FA 

IR 

LADY! 

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28 

ANXIETY – 

THE SILENT 

MONSTER 

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44 

ADRIAN BUCKLE 

Not just about the controversies / page 4

CONTENTS 

C O V E R S T O R Y 

04 ON THE VERGE Known for his 

own brand of theatre and very 

particular style, producer and 

playwright Adrian Buckle is 

preparing to unveil his latest play – 

Collapse. Here, he talks Anabel Attard 

through the intricate process of 

bringing this production to life. 

H E A LT H 

08 PROTECT AND PREVENT With 

the festive party season just behind us, 

it won’t be long before the excesses 

typically tied to the month start 

making themselves felt. As Malta 

reports the third highest rate of new 

HIV diagnoses across the EU and 

statistics for sexually-transmitted 

diseases continue to rise, Anna Marie 

Galea gets the medical perspective on 

why this is happening and how new 

screening and treatment methods can 

help protect those at higher risk of 

HIV. 

44 A NEW YEAR, NEW 

STRUGGLES A disorder that can 

result in sleepless nights and cold 

sweats, Anxiety is one condition that 

can turn lives upside down, 

consuming sufferers with a sense of 

dread that is hard to shake off. 

Psychiatrist Anton Grech tells 

Mariella Camilleri that yes, 

something can be done about it. 

48 HOW TO DECIDE ON DENTAL 

TREATMENT Dental and implant 

surgeon Dr Jean Paul Demajo offers 

his advice on the latest treatments. 

F O O D & D R I N K 

14 MALTESE WINES OF 

DISTINCTION Maltese vinegrowers 

have worked hard over the past 

decades to recover one the island’s 

main agricultural products – wine. 

Now, thanks to the EU Geographical 

Indication accreditation that is 

conferred through the Agriculture 

Ministry, all this hard work is 

protected. 

42 TUTTO FA BRODO! With seven 

Michelin stars to his name, 

appearances on MasterChef Italia and 

numerous publications down, Bruno 

Barbieri is that most exquisite of 

creatures – an Italian celebrity chef. 

Recently in Malta to endorse Italian 

artisanal food shop UpperFood, he 

shared one of his favourite winter 

starters with Sunday Circle. 

P E O P L E 

16 RISING TO THE OCCASION 

Fashion designer Rosemarie Abela is 

recently back from a highly successful 

showing of her bespoke designs during 

Serbia Fashion Week. She shares her 

experience with Caroline Paris. 

36 LOVE AND PARADISE Actress 

and model Marysia S. Peres seems to 

have found both on this island, with 

her career hitting enviable heights 

throughout these past months, 

especially with the success of feature 

film Love to Paradise. She shares her 

experiences with Ramona Depares. 

16 

T H E AT R E 

24 WHAT A TRAGEDY! In a photostory 

by photographer and visual 

director Steven Levi Vella, Iggy Fenech 

takes us through the history of Jean 

Anouilh’s Antigone, which will be 

staged in Malta come February. 

28 THE FAIREST ONE OF ALL As 

well-known actress Maxine Aquilina 

gets ready to take on the biggest role of 

her career so far – Eliza Dolittle in the 

upcoming production of My Fair Lady 

– she tells Anabel Attard why this 

musical milestone truly means the 

world to her. 

G O O D C A U S E S 

32 HELPING CHILDREN THROUGH 

TRAUMA Claire Chircop tells Iggy 

Fenech how one man’s battle with 

illness led to the birth of the Karl Vella 

Foundation, an NGO that filled a void 

very few had realised existed. 

E N V I R O N M E N T 

40 PUTTING THE ENVIRONMENT 

FIRST Sunday Circle sits down with 

the Unit Manager of National Affairs 

at the Environment and Resources 

Authority, Claire Cordina Borg, to 

discover what goes on within its 

framework. 

R E G U L A R S 

03 A word from the editor 

24 

THIS PUBLICATION IS BEING DISTRIBUTED AS PART OF: 

Send your letters to: Ramona Depares, executive editor, Sunday Circle, Allied Newspapers Ltd, 341, Strickland House, St Paul Street, Valletta, VLT 1211, or email: 

ramona.depares@timesofmalta.com. The executive editor reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and where space is limited. For advertising enquiries 

email: renee.mdecesare@timesofmalta.com or call: 9947 7193. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole, or in part, is strictly prohibited without written permission. 

Opinions expressed in the Sunday Circle are not necessarily those of the editor-in-chief or publisher. All reasonable care is taken to ensure truth and accuracy, but 

the editor-in-chief and publisher cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions in articles, advertising, photographs or illustrations. Unsolicited manuscripts 

are welcome, but cannot be returned without a stamped, self-addressed envelope. The editor-in-chief is not responsible for material submitted for consideration.

A WORD FROM 

the editor 

New year, new me; healthier habits, healthier choices – she says, as This revival of the classic Greek tale is being given a rather decadent 

she reaches for yet another piece of Christmas cake (thanks Mum!). twist, do check out our story, a photologue captured by the brilliant 

Oh how I wish the whole new year resolution thing worked. Sadly, in mind of Steven Levi Vella. 

my case it only works if I really want it to – and clearly, laying off the 

From theatre on to film and fashion – Marysia S. Peres, the 

Christmas goodies and switching to low-carb salads is not what I 

talented beauty we saw in the surprise indie hit that was From Love to 

really want. Go figure. 

Paradise, shares some of her experiences on set (check out the stories 

Now that is safely out of the way, time to focus on what I do from Assassin’s Creed, where she played Queen Isabella) and on the 

want that doesn’t involve a million calories or 

international catwalks. And Maltese designer 

a million euro. I want more arts, more theatre, 

more concerts. That’s a new year resolution I 

can make with a clear conscience, in the 

knowledge that it won’t be broken. 

Yes, Valletta 2018 kicks off pretty much 

just about now but for this issue I’m focusing 

on a number of private, and highly-promising, 

theatre productions. Starting with Unifaun’s 

upcoming Collapse, the producer of which 

graces our front cover this month. Adrian 

Buckle is no new name on the theatre front, 

his company Unifaun being behind some 

pretty memorable theatrical offerings. 

Collapse is a play that was scripted by Buckle 

himself and he tells interviewer Iggy Fenech 

all about it in this month’s cover story. As is 

the wont of Unifaun, expect a fair degree of 

controversy – Buckle had to turn his sights 

overseas for his cast, in fact – but it’s not just 

about that, of course. 

On a perhaps lighter note, this year also 

sees the production of two massive musicals 

in Malta – Mamma Mia and My Fair Lady, in 

Traditionally, January 

is a bit of a blue 

month when, after 

the (sometimes) 

forced glitz and 

jollity of the 

Christmas season 

any mental 

vulnerabilities push 

themselves to the 

fore 

Rosemarie Abela recently had an amazingly 

successful showing of her original designs at 

Serbia Fashion Week – our very own stylist 

and fashionista Caroline Paris had a chinwag 

with her. 

January, somehow, is also a month 

where we take stock of our lives, including 

relationships and health. Maintaining a healthy 

romantic relationship in today’s climate is far 

from a simple affair. Fast lives, increasing 

pressures and the stresses that constant 

exposure to social media brings with it only 

add to the complications that arise when two 

different individuals mesh their lives. Professor 

Angela Abela, who chairs the National Centre 

for Family Research and recently conducted a 

study about sustaining relationships, talks 

about the commonest pitfalls. 

Traditionally, January is a bit of a blue 

month when, after the (sometimes) forced 

glitz and jollity of the Christmas season any 

mental vulnerabilities push themselves to the 

fore. Anxiety is one of those conditions that is 

what should be a pretty groundbreaking step. As it happens, both becoming increasingly common and that, maybe, does not carry 

share the same leading lady, the uber-talented Maxine Aquilina. Of enough awareness. We take a look at what sufferers go through and 

course, we just had to catch up with her to figure out how on earth ways which may make it easier to cope. 

she is managing these two heavyduty roles in quick succession! 

There’s more, of course. Fashion, shopping, people and 

Different vibe, but equally intriguing, is the production of 

everything that makes life interesting. Hope we help you kick off the 

Antigone, which is set to run at the newly re-opened Manoel Theatre. Sunday (and the year) all chilled and enjoy the read. 

PUBLISHER 

ALLIED NEWSPAPERS LTD. 

EXECUTIVE EDITOR 

Ramona Depares 

PUBLICATION SALES MANAGER 

Renée Micallef Decesare 

DESIGN 

Joseph Schembri 

COVER 

Adrian Buckle 

Photography: Jacob Sammut, on 

location at The Splendid, Valletta. 

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS 

Iggy Fenech, Ramona Depares, 

Anna Marie Galea, Mariella 

Camilleri, Caroline Paris 

JANUARY 2018 ∫ Sunday Circle 3

COVER STORY 

On 

the 

ve 

er 

rg 

ge 

Known for his own brand of theatre and very particular style, 

producer and playwright ADRIAN BUCKLE is preparing to unveil his latest 

play – COLLAPSE. here he talKs ANABEL ATTARD through the intricate 

process of bringing this production to life. 

producer and playwright adrian buckle doesn’t do 

things by halves. his theatre company unifaun is 

known for everything from harrowing pieces like 

Blasted, Lampedusa and Olly’s Prison, to lighter 

shows like the Lying Kind and the recent Long Lost 

First Play. he approaches each of his productions 

with gusto and will stop at nothing to ensure they’re 

presented in a manner that suits his vision: his is 

quality theatre that asks important questions and 

leaves its audience with something to think about. 

his upcoming play promises to be no different, 

although adrian has been more involved in this 

script than ever. yes he’s written plays before, but 

none of them have been quite like Collapse. 

“i have been on such a long journey with 

Collapse,” he says. “in fact, it all started back in 2010.” 

back then, the playwright says he was very 

angry about “the Stitching issue – when censors 

banned the production from being staged. “i was 

facing an artistic block; i couldn’t think and i couldn’t 

create.” 

it was around the same time that he started 

working in a school for boys with difficult 

backgrounds, teaching drama through storytelling 

and improvisation, concentrating on The Lord of The 

Flies. “it was through their creativity that i was 

motivated again, and that’s when collapse started to 

take form – although it was just a puddle of angry 

words at the time, and hardly a play script.” 

in fact, he soon abandoned his writings again 

and it was only when award-winning international 

playwright edward bond came to Malta to work on a 

project with adrian that he decided to take another 

stab at finishing it. 

“it was then that i passed it on to american 

director dave barton – who will be directing the 

show in Malta – for his advice. he made his 

recommendations and suggested i take a look at 

grimm’s tales for further inspiration, which was a 

fantastic idea. the script has changed countless time 

since than but with dave’s help i believe it now fullyformed 

and ready to be staged.” 

adrian enjoyed the process of writing and 

rewriting, especially with dave offering advice from 

california. it’s a progression that he says he missed 

out on when working on his previous script 

Unintended (which was staged in 2017), which he 

simply wrote and took to the stage. “i was happy 

with Unintended but, having gone through an editing 

process on Collapse, i can really see the value of it.” 

it’s poignant, of course, that dave – following 

his on-going involvement – will now be travelling to 

Malta to bring the show to life, supported by the 

It wouldn’t be my work 

if there weren’t a few 

controversial elements 

thrown in 

4Sunday Circle ∫ JANUARY 2018

COVER STORY 

PHOTOS 

JACOB SAMMUT 

SHOT ON LOCATION AT THE 

SPLENDID, VALLETTA. 

ADRIAN WEARS CLOTHES 

BY GAGLIARDI, COURTESY OF 

BORTEX FINE TAILORING. 


COVER STORY 

The play itself is 

set in a dystopian 

future under siege, 

where the streets 

are chaotic and 

violent with armed 

soldiers raping and 

killing at whim 

Malta Arts Fund. Dave and Adrian have a 

long-term working relationship, dating 

back to 2008, when he directed Unifaun’s 

controversial production of Blasted. “We 

joke that we must have been brothers in 

another life,” Adrian smiles. “We’re like 

doppelgängers – we like all the same 

things, follow the same playwrights and 

are like different sides of the same coin. 

That means we understand each other 

and have a fantastic shared vision on the 

work we do. Dave obviously has more 

experience than I do, so I am very happy 

to let him guide me. He has definitely 

helped me improve my work.” 

However the duo has faced a couple 

of challenges when it comes to staging this 

piece – including finding the right cast. As 

a result, they have chosen to cast the show 

in California, and the whole team will travel 

to Malta a few weeks before the show to 

work on the final aspects of staging it. 

The play itself is set in a dystopian 

future under siege, where the streets are 

chaotic and violent with armed soldiers 

raping and killing at whim. In the midst of 

all that, a young woman named Greta lives 

with her very damaged boyfriend Robbie. 

“Robbie isn’t allowed out for the sake of 

his safety,” Adrian explains. “So the lovers 

have created a bullet-proof bubble around 

themselves, full of stories and fairy-tales, 

and oblivious to the trouble outside.” 

However, all that changes when Stella 

comes for a visit, and the couple’s world is 

turned upside down. 

“It wouldn’t be my work if there 

weren’t a few controversial elements 

thrown in!” Adrian grins, explaining that 


COVER STORY 

The cast of Collapse. 

Photo: William Blakely 

the show is for adults only. “and that led me to believe i might have 

a few problems casting it from the local pool of actors, who can be 

understandably less keen to do nudity or simulate the sex scenes. 

however, logistically, it also made sense to cast it in america and 

Dave is already working with the actors, well ahead of our February 

debut. i have had the pleasure of working with them over Skype too 

and have watched a number of rehearsals. it’s especially interesting 

to get their feedback on the script and to continue developing it 

with their help. Collapse has quickly become one of the plays that i 

most excited to see staged.” 

meanwhile, adrian is looking forward to presenting a number 

of other productions in the season to come, including the Enemy of 

the People, which will be directed by toni attard in march. 

“When i first got started in theatre locally, i was the only one 

doing ‘my’ kind of theatre – this kind of theatre,” adrian says. “But i 

am happy to see that other companies are pushing the boundaries 

now too. it’s wonderful to see so many different plays taking place – 

from the maDC’s Jew of Malta to masquerade’s Amadeus, and 

Antigone in early February. i am excited to see producers taking 

risks, and for audiences to be challenged by the culture that’s 

available to them.” 

and it’s with that in mind that adrian has set up a busy 

season for himself, both with Collapse and the Enemy of the People. 

“i watched the show a while back and thought it would be very 

timely for malta – especially as it is about the freedom of the press. 

after what happened with Stitching, i swore to myself that i would 

always stand after for freedom of expression – and that drive was 

further fuelled by the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia. as always, 

i believe i can be best heard through my art rather than in other 

ways, which is why i am so wholly dedicated to it. Whether as a 

playwright or a producer, it is my duty to use my art to make 

people think and to bring about change, and that is exactly what i 

hope to be doing throughout this next season.” 

Collapse will be staged in the Main Theatre at Spazju Kreattiv 

on February 17, 18, 23, 24, 25 and on March 2, 3, 4. Tickets are 

available now online at www.kreattivita.org. Enemy of the People will 

be staged at the Blue Box Theatre on 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18 March. 

Tickets are available at bluebox.azurewebsites.net. 


HEALTH 


HEALTH 

Protect 

and 

prevent 

WITH THE FESTIVE PARTY 

SEASON JUST BEHIND US, IT 

WON’T BE LONG BEFORE THE 

EXCESSES TYPICALLY TIED TO 

THE MONTH START MAKING 

THEMSELVES FELT. AS MALTA 

REPORTS THE THIRD HIGHEST 

RATE OF NEW HIV DIAGNOSES 

ACROSS THE EU AND 

STATISTICS FOR SEXUALLY- 

TRANSMITTED DISEASES 

CONTINUE TO RISE, ANNA 

MARIE GALEA GETS THE 

MEDICAL PERSPECTIVE ON 

WHY THIS IS HAPPENING AND 

HOW NEW SCREENING AND 

TREATMENT METHODS CAN 

HELP PROTECT THOSE AT 

HIGHER RISK OF HIV. 

The aftermath of the festive season is likely 

to make itself felt even in terms of the higher 

incidence in sexually transmitted diseases. 

The big disease with the little name is 

not known to discriminate. According 

to statistics released by the World 

Health Organization, ever since the 

beginning of the AIDS epidemic, more 

than 70 million people have been 

infected and at least half of that 

number have died of HIV and AIDS 

related conditions. 

It is estimated that 36.9 million 

people were living with HIV at the end 

of 2016. Despite the UNAIDS 90-90-90 

2020 strategy and a reported decline in 

new cases in clinics in London, we are 

still far from being out of the woods 

when it comes to our attitude to 

education as well as protection. I spoke 

to HIV activist, European AIDS 

Treatment Group member and lawyer 

Dr Mark Josef Rapa and Consultant and 

Head of the Mater Dei GU Clinic Valeska 

Padovese about how new prevention 

methods such as Pre-exposure 

Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-exposure 

Prophylaxis (PEP) can reduce forward 

transmission of HIV. 

But first things first: why are 

people are still contracting the HIV, 


HEALTH 

virus despite efforts in raising global 

awareness on the issue? Dr Padovese is 

clear. 

“The main problem with HIV and 

other sexually transmitted diseases (STIs) 

is the fact that there isn’t the kind of fear 

there was in the 1980s and 90s. And, 

thanks to breakthroughs in science and 

medicine, HIV has become something of a 

chronic illness once patients are 

diagnosed and put on treatment.” 

But it’s not all good, as Dr Padovese 

continues to explain. 

“There has, however, been a rise in 

chemsex behaviour, which is when people 

have sex under the influence of drugs. In 

addition to this, there is still a huge lack of 

awareness. The latter can only be 

decreased through public health 

campaigns, education and more frequent 

testing of people at high risk. We are 

currently encouraging high-risk people to 

get tested every three months instead of 

six, in order to diagnose any form of STI, 

including HIV, early. After risk assessment, 

we eventually advise them to go on PrEP.” 

For those who aren’t medically 

inclined, PrEP refers to the use of anti-HIV 

medications to keep HIV negative people 

from becoming infected. 

Dr Rapa echoes Dr Padovese’s 

sentiments about the importance of 

prevention. 

ThErE HaS BeEn A 

RiSe In ChEmSeX 

BeHaViOuR, WhIcH 

Is WhEn PeOpLe 

HaVe SeX UnDeR 

ThE InFlUeNcE Of 

DrUgS 

“I feel that being prepared is the key 

to reducing your chances of contracting 

HIV. Thus, it is advisable for people who 

are most at risk to not only use condoms 

which will protect them from other STIs 

but also to go on PrEP if they are 

constantly exposing themselves to high 

risk situations. People on PrEP will usually 

get roped into the health system that will 

help monitor them, which means that they 

will also be tested more often.” 

In fact, thanks to PrEP, frequent HIV 

testing, early diagnosis and rapid 

treatment, Dr Rapa tells me that 56 Dean 

Street Clinic in Central London has 

reported that new HIV infections have 

gone down by 90 per cent, from 60-70 a 

month at the end of 2015 to three in 

October of this year. This is also because 

people living with HIV who are on 

effective treatment and who have their 

HIV viral load suppressed for six months 

cannot pass on the virus to another 

person.” 

So what exactly do PrEP and PEP? 

“They are both combination drugs which 

help prevent HIV. However, while PrEP 

daily, or intermittently before and after 

exposure to a high risk situation, PEP has 

to be taken within the first 72 hours after 

high risk sexual contact. We provide PEP 

at Mater Dei against a fee of €500 and 

this year we had 53 males and two 

females who requested it. At the GU Clinic, 

we currently have 46 people on record 

who take PrEP and we follow them up 

every three months,” Dr Rapa says. 

He also hopes that people who are 

taking this medication on their own 

without being followed up by a medical 

team will decide to come to the GU clinic 

after reading this article. 

“It’s really important to get tested 

before you start PrEP and every three 

months both for HIV and STIs because if 

you turn positive, PrEP is not only 

ineffective, but it also affects HIV 

medication extremely negatively. Some 

people do opt to buy PrEP from abroad or 

online because of its far cheaper price. 

However, we always advise people to 

come in and speak to us if they plan to 

take it.” 

Of course, while PrEP prevents 

people from getting infected with HIV, Dr 

Rapa believes that a lot more can be done 

when it comes to sexual health. 

“People don’t take PrEP because they 

simply don’t know about it and because 

the local price may act as a deterrent. 

However, there is also a lot of stigma 

attached to sexual health at large. I would 

say that stigma is still very much an issue 

on the Maltese islands. Many people still 

fear acknowledging their sexual behaviour, 

which makes them less likely to seek out 

ways of protecting themselves because 

they’d simply much rather not think about 

it. Sexual health strategies must also be 

implemented in all schools. We’ve missed 

the boat a couple of times already, let’s get 

together, get on the next one and arrive 


HEALTH 

HIV – The 

sobering facts 

Malta had the third highest rate of 

new HIV diagnoses through 2016, 

according to a report issued by 

the World Health Organisation 

and the European Centre for 

Disease Control on December 1, 

World Aids Day. 

During last year, 29,444 

people were diagnosed with HIV 

across the EU. Latvia, Estonia and 

Malta reported the highest rate of 

increase respectively. Malta 

reported 63 new cases of HIV – 

since 2007, we have seen 387 

cases reported. 

Testing for HIV is completely anonymous, 

with results being returned in 20 minutes. 

at a new destination where taboo and 

discrimination do not exist.” 

Dr Padovese agrees with this 

sentiment, especially when it comes to 

STIs: “The number of STIs in this country 

keeps on growing and growing with 

Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea being the 

main two offenders. What’s more, we have 

to move away from the stigma which 

relegates these illnesses to the 

homosexual community. There are a 

number of people who are visiting these 

so-called massage parlours and leaving 

with a lot more than so-called ‘happy 

endings’. What’s more, people don’t seem 

to realise that you can get STI’s from oral 

sex as well as penetrative sex. There’s no 

point in using a condom for the latter and 

not using it for the former.” 

ThE MaIn PrObLeM WiTh HiV AnD OtHeR 

SeXuAlLy TrAnSmItTeD DiSeAsEs (StIs) Is 

ThE FaCt ThAt ThErE IsN’T ThE KiNd Of 

FeAr ThErE WaS In ThE 1980S 

Matter of fact in her approach, Dr 

Padovese feels that the key to moving 

forward is the elimination of ignorance and 

shame: “It is important to reduce stigma 

and educate. I sometimes have people 

who come to the clinic to get tested 

because they find out that they are 

working with an HIV positive person and 

panic and this really shouldn’t be the case. 

In the future, I would like to see more 

outreach activities. I am also particularly 

proud of the fact that we have access to 

rapid testing which means that people can 

come in and get tested for HIV in an 

anonymous way and have their result 

within 20 minutes. In the future, I also 

hope that home testing for the most 

common STIs will be readily available. I 

feel that the more we normalise the 

importance of sexual health, the healthier 

our population will be. I look forward to us 

discussing things in a more open way.” 


CIRCLE PROMOTION 

Maltese 

wines of 

distinction 

MALTESE VINEGROWERS AND WINEMAKERS HAVE 

WORKED HARD OVER THE PAST DECADES TO RECOVER 

ONE Of THE ISLAND’S MAIN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS – 

WINE. NOW, WE CAN BOAST ABOUT OUR QUALITY AND 

DISTINCT WINES- DOK MALTA, DOK GOZO AND IĠT 

MALTESE ISLANDS. THESE WINES ARE CERTIfIED BY THE 

AGRICULTURE DIRECTORATE fOLLOWING EU WIDE 

QUALITY WINES REGULATIONS. 

Malta has been known to produce wine ever since 

the time of the Phoenicians, for over 2,000 years. 

Various dominations that followed make specific 

reference to wine production in Malta, most 

notably the Knights of Malta. 

The real revolution in modern winemaking in 

Malta occurred after 2004 when Malta joined the 

EU. Indeed, up till that time, the wine sector in 

Malta was heavily protected through hefty import 

levies which gave a substantial competitive 

advantage to local wineries. 

As of May 2004, all protective levies for 

imports from the EU were totally removed, thus 

exposing the local industry to fierce competition, 

both from the perspective of quality and selling 

price. Thus, producers had no choice but to 

dedicate their energy to producing excellent wines 

without pushing their cost too high. 

Malta has indeed reached unprecedented 

levels with 15,340 hectolitres (hL) of quality and 

table wines being produced in 2010 by the 16 

registered wineries. Ten of these commercial wine 

producers are officially registered and licensed to 

produce wines which are specifically protected by 

the EU’s geographical indications. 

Wines protected by 

Geographical Indication 

The EU has been promoting Geographical 

Indication (GI) both for wines and also for other 

food products for decades. The GIs (similar all 

throughout all the EU Member States) certify that 

a particular product originates from a specific 

territory or locality and has specific quality and 

characteristics. 

The system adopted and developed by the 

EU for quality designation based on geographical 

indication provides a guarantee for wine lovers 

and also for the wineries. The DOK or IĠT seal is 

indeed an EU guarantee as to minimum standards 

of quality and origin of the wine. 

DOK Malta, DOK Gozo & IĠT 

In Malta, GI wines are regulated by a specific 

legislation – D.O.K. Wines Production Protocols 

Regulations, in effect since May 2007 (S.L. 436.05, 

S.L. 436.06 and S.L. 436.07). These regulations, 

being specific to the production of wines which 

benefit from GI labels, fall within the ambit of the 

Wine Act, 2001 (CAP 436). 

The initial promoters of the D.O.K. and I.Ġ.T. 

production protocols sought to give higher value 



and ensure a higher quality of wines produced by wineries in Malta 

and Gozo. It is interesting to note that wines from the island region 

of Gozo have been given specific recognition and protection. In 

fact, DOK wines or Denominazzjoni ta’ Oriġini Kontrollata are two 

distinct and fully fledged DOKs – DOK Malta and DOK Gozo. 

This distinction was felt necessary due to the fact that Gozo is 

a geographically distinct region from the mainland. DOK not only 

makes specific reference to quality standards, but is also 

intrinsically linked to the region where the grapes originate from. 

DOK is used for all types of wine including red, white and 

rose. The production manuals set the maximum yield levels which 

are permissible and both DOK Malta and DOK 

Gozo adopt the same maximums as 

thresholds for a DOK production. 

Meanwhile, with regards to IĠT wines, 

no such distinction exists and, in fact, only IĠT 

Maltese Islands is recognised by law. Thus, 

grapes cultivated both on mainland Malta and 

on the island region of Gozo may give rise 

and qualify for the IĠT ‘Maltese Islands’. 

Similar to what occurs with DOK productions, 

IĠT refers to all wines including red, white and 

rose wines. 

It has to be stressed, however, that a 

DOK wine is of a higher quality than an IĠT 

wine, and the production manuals for both GIs clearly reflect this. 

All those other wines which do not manage to obtain such a 

GIs, but which are produced from grapes cultivated in Malta or in 

other countries in the EU, may only be marketed as Table Wines. 

This wine may be said to be at the lower end of the hierarchy of 

wines produced within the EU. 

It is amply evident that these certifications need a series of 

controls, checks and balances all throughout the process from the 

cultivation stage to the final bottling 

stage. This is a very arduous and 

stringent process involving various and 

continuous controls by the Ministry for 

Agriculture, which is the controlling 

body responsible for the observation of 

these production protocols. 

In order to fulfill its duties, the 

Viticulture and Oenology Unit within the 

Agricultural Directorate starts with 

inspections at the wineries during the 

harvest. Wineries are, indeed, obliged to 

inform the Directorate as to the dates 

when crushing of the grapes destined 

for a GI wine is taking place so that all 

the process is registered. Information 

collated during this period is then crosschecked 

with the Vineyard Register. 

This is an essential task that needs 

to be performed so that the origin of the 

grapes can be easily identified. 

The real 

revolution in 

modern winemaking 

in Malta occurred 

after 2004 when 

Malta joined the EU 

Later on, the process for the 

certification of the wines themselves starts. 

Officials from the Directorate collect samples 

of individual wines for testing by the 

Directorate prior to any bottling taking place. 

Wineries have to ensure that the wines being 

produced respect to the full the production 

protocols laid down by the DOK and IĠT 

production manuals. 

An accredited certification body specifically chosen by the 

Ministry for Agriculture will then analyse the samples to ensure that 

the samples provided match the criteria established by the 

production protocols. 

It is only after a long process of checks, including at the 

moment of harvest, fermentation and subsequent bottling, that a 

wine may qualify to be certified as DOK or IĠT wine. 

This scheme may be said to have 

been immediately successful and, by 

2010, about 91 per cent of the wine 

production in Malta was certified as GI 

wines i.e. DOK and/or IĠT. In Malta, 

consumers may identify wines protected 

by a geographical indication through a 

specific banderole. Wineries which are 

registered with Viticulture and Oenology 

Unit of the Agricultural Directorate have 

to undergo rigorous tests and 

procedures so that they may obtain such 

banderols for their wines. 

Maltese vinegrowers and wineries 

have worked hard over the past decades 

to recover one of the main agricultural 

products in Malta – wine. It is thanks to 

their toil and effort that Maltese and 

tourists can now enjoy Maltese quality 

wines and that our island can boast of a 

strong and healthy wine industry. 


FASHION 

PHOTO: KURT PARIS 


FASHION 

RISING TO THE 

OCCASION 

FASHION DESIGNER ROSEMARIE ABELA IS JUST BACK FROM A HIGHLY 

SUCCESSFUL SHOWING OF HER BESPOKE DESIGNS DURING SERBIA FASHION 

WEEK. SHE SHARES HER EXPERIENCE WITH CAROLINE PARIS. 

What was your reaction when you received the invitation 

to take part in Serbia Fashion Week? 

I was excited, actually, my initial thoughts were a 

mixture of excitement, nerves and slight fear – fear that I 

won’t be good enough. I was also very, very happy as I had 

been hoping it would happen, and I had been thinking 

about trying to go abroad and participating in an 

international fashion week. I also knew about the 

collaboration between Malta and Serbia Fashion Week, so I 

had been hoping I would be chosen. 

What challenges did you face? 

There were actually a number of challenges. I have 

more than one job, so vacation time and planning was the 

first hurdle. Thankfully my boss was very understanding, 

and I also have bespoke clients whom I had to ask to be 

patient and understanding in delivering some pieces later 

than expected. 

I also had to travel alone to Serbia without an 

assistant, so I was worried as to whether I would find help 

backstage, help to dress the models, steam clothes etc. 

Designer Rosemarie 

Abela takes a bow. 

PHOTO: SVETLANA BRAUN 


FASHION 

PHOTO: KURT PARIS 

Right before the show, 

the zip on one of my 

dresses broke, but I 

managed to pin it cleanly 

from inside the dress and 

reattach the sheer 

material without leaving 

any pins showing 

In the end, there was more than enough qualified help but, of course, 

one worries about everything. On the day, right before the show, the 

zip on one of my dresses broke, but I managed to pin it cleanly from 

inside the dress and reattach the sheer material without leaving any 

pins showing. I also chose the models on the same day of my show, 

which meant fittings on the day. This resulted in needing to change 

some models an hour before the show! 

Is this your first experience showcasing abroad? 

I showcased in Florence as part of my course at Polimoda but, 

after I finished university, I mainly focused on building my local 

clientele. It was nice to meet designers from different countries like 

US and Greece and get some insight into their mentality. It is also an 

interesting way of seeing fashion through the different eyes of 

people with different cultures and backgrounds. I have gained some 

insight into what I can improve and new ideas. One thing you 

definitely learn is that you are never good enough and there’s always 

room for improvement. 


FASHION 



FASHION 

PHOTOS: SVETLANA BRAUN 

How do you feel your work was received? 

I received a lot of positive comments, actually it was mainly 

positive – to be honest, there was the worry that reactions would be 

mostly negative, but it wasn’t the case. I try to focus on giving 

attention to details in my work, but you never know how others will 

receive it. Sometimes I can look at a piece of work and think it is 

great but it doesn’t mean others will – especially by those who 

travel the world, constantly looking at great fashion pieces. 

However, I was complimented on my sewing skills and my attention 

to detail. This meant a lot to me. 

What did you think of the Serbian designers? 

I liked most of them. There were a couple of designs which I 

thought had a bit too much going on but Serbian culture promotes 

this style. One of my favourites was Lepa Couture, who also 

showcased some beautiful pieces of fabric. Mladen Baron and Milica 

Tričković, who had showcased in Malta in previous years, also had 

brilliant collections. They really focused on the little details. Ivana 

Nikolic had a really creative concept with hand-drawn sketches that 

seemed to be sewn into the garments and Equi showcased female 

suits and top hats which I thought was quite original. 


FASHION 

How does Serbia Fashion Week compare to 

Malta Fashion Week? 

It is more international, which means you 

have the opportunities to meet people from 

different countries and backgrounds, which as 

mentioned before promotes sharing of ideas. It 

would be great both for Malta Fashion Week and 

local designers if we managed to generate more 

international exposure in Malta. This also stems 

from the fact that there is commercial support 

from local enterprises. 

One thing I definitely love about Malta 

fashion week is that we have the opportunity to 

showcase our designs in historical buildings and 

locations that make stunning backdrops. Serbia 

Fashion Week, like many other international fashion 

weeks, is held in a conference building – then 

again, this does bring with it lighting advantages 

and more amenities. As always, there are pros and 

cons to everything. 

How were you treated? 

I felt as respected as every other designer 

here, including Serbian ones. They treated me as a 

guest, inviting me to lunch and dinner every day, 

arranging transport for me and front row seats for 

every show I wished to watch. To give you a 

specific example, for logistical reasons they 

needed to change the timing of the show; they 

were so apologetic about it, when in reality I 

actually got a better spot. 

Would you go again? 

Yes definitely! And I encourage other Maltese 

designers that they work towards earning this 

opportunity. 

www.facebook.com/rosemarieabelastudio/ 



THEATRE 

What a 

Tragedy! 

IN A PHOTO-STORY BY 

PHOTOGRAPHER AND VISUAL 

DIRECTOR STEVEN LEVI VELLA, 

IGGY FENECH TAKES US THROUGH 

THE HISTORY OF JEAN ANOUILH’S 

ANTIGONE, WHICH WILL BE 

STAGED IN MALTA COME 

FEBRUARY. 

As Malta’s national theatre reopens and the 

country swiftly settles into the reality of 

having Valletta as one of the two European 

Capitals of Culture for 2018, the cultural 

calendar gets chocabloc with events. One of 

the first ones for the year is Antigone, a Greek 

tragedy that has captivated audiences for 

almost 2,500 years. 

The story of Antigone is one that dates back to 

antiquity. In fact, the first script for theatre was 

written in 441BC or even before, by Greek tragedian 

Sophocles – one of the only three playwrights 

whose work survives to this day. The play is based 

on Greek mythology and tells a story of family 

feuds, defiance, power struggles, love and loss, 

something that has made it relevant throughout 

history and in every corner of the globe. 


THEATRE 

While it was Kenneth Zammit Tabona – the artistic 

director for Teatru Manoel – who commissioned the 

staging of a Greek tragedy, the choice of script was left 

in the director’s hands. Antigone, which is one of 

Grima’s favourite tragedies, proved to have themes that 

are incredibly relevant to modern society, be it locally 

and internationally. The tragedy centres around 

Antigone, the daughter and sister of Oedipus and his 

mother, Jocasta. Following the death of her arguably 

traitorous brother, Polyneices, Antigone defies the 

edict by King Creon of Thebes and decides to bury 

him. Defiant till her last breath, Antigone has become 

an icon of resistance as she stands by her beliefs even 

as it puts her life in danger. 

The version being staged at Teatru Manoel in February is based 

on Jean Anouilh’s version of the script. Written in 1942, while 

Anouilh lived in German-occupied France during World War II, 

Antigone proved to be an inspiration for those who had anti- 

Nazi sentiments. At first, the play was censored by the regime 

but, in 1944, it was staged at the Théátre de l’Atelier in Paris. 

The city would be liberated soon after. The play then had its 

debut in London in 1949, with silver-screen legends Vivienne 

Leigh and Laurence Oliver both playing a role. 


THEATRE 

Malta’s debut of Anouilh’s Antigone 

is a collaboration between director 

Tyrone Grima, actress and producer 

Sharon Bezzina, and Teatru Manoel. 

The one-off project has been in the 

works for well over a year, and will 

feature an all-star cast. Bezzina will 

be taking on the lead role of the 

indefatigable and defiant Antigone, 

who will be sharing the spotlight 

with TV and theatre veteran Charles 

Sammut in the role of King Creon. 

His wife, Queen Eurydice, will be 

played by Graziella Galea Pirotta, 

and the two will be flanked by 

Chiara Hyzler, Sean Briffa and 

Stephen Mintoff as the clown 

guards. Meanwhile, Malcolm Galea, 

Joseph Zammit, Marielle Zammit 

and Vanessa Attard will be playing 

the parts of Chorus, Haemn, Ismene 

and Antigone’s nurse, respectively. 

26 Sunday Circle ∫ JANUARY 2018

THEATRE 

Antigone will be the first theatrical production taking place at 

Teatru Manoel following its reopening, and nothing has been 

left to chance nor were any half-measures taken. Joining the 

cast is a team of renowned artists for visuals and sound. 

Costumes and prop design are in the able hands of Angele 

Galea; Perit Adrian Mamo will be transforming the set into a 

Victorian circus; theatre veteran Chris Gatt will composing the 

original score for the play; and Moritz Stoekle will be taking 

care of the lighting. 

For the first time in the history of Anouilh’s script, Antigone will be set in a 

Victorian circus. The idea, which came to Grima as he was analysing the 

metaphors and images in the 1940s script, plays on the recurring theme of 

the ‘caged animals’. Indeed, one of the most powerful philosophical ideas 

of the story that we are all governed by fate: Antigone was born to die, 

King Creon was born to kill her, and they were both born to create a 

narrative that reveals humanity’s biggest flaws and strengths. To add to 

the spectacle and authenticity of the piece, two professionals from an 

international circus school based in Italy were flown to Malta for a week, 

during which the cast received very intensive training. 

Antigone will be on at the Manoel Theatre every night 

between February 2 and 4, www.teatrumanoel.com 


MUSICALS 

Maxine Aquilina 

PHOTOS: JUSTIN MAMO 


MUSICALS 

The fairest 

one of all 

AS WELL-KNOWN ACTRESS MAXINE AQUILINA GETS READY TO TAKE ON THE BIGGEST ROLE OF 

HER CAREER SO FAR – ELIZA DOLITTLE IN THE UPCOMING PRODUCTION OF MY FAIR LADY – SHE 

TELLS ANABEL ATTARD WHY THIS MUSICAL MILESTONE TRULY MEANS THE WORLD TO HER. 

Maxine Aquilina is buzzing as we sit down to chat about her next few months – 

and for good reason. She’ll be taking on not one but two dream theatrical roles 

between now and April – the utterly ‘luverly’ Eliza Dolittle in My Fair Lady, and 

the beautiful Sophie in Mamma Mia, both of which will be staged by FM 

Productions at the Mediterranean Conference Centre as part of their 20th 

anniversary celebrations. 

“I simply can’t believe it,” Maxine says, as I ask how she’ll manage to move 

between the two shows – both of which are among her all-time favourites. “But 

the whole team is working hard to make it happen, and I am completely 

dedicated to doing my best in both roles.” 

Admittedly, it is My Fair Lady that the actress is most excited about; she’s 

wanted to play the part of Eliza for as long as she can remember. “Most 

performers will tell you they have a ‘dream role’ and mine has always been this 

one,” she says. “It’s such a classic show and one of my earliest memories is of my 

grandfather quoting it. My mother loved it too… she sadly passed away last year 

and I am devastated that she won’t get to see me in the part, as she always 

longed to. I will definitely be performing this one for her.” 

My Fair Lady is something of a Cinderella story, as it tells the rags-to-riches 

tale of a poor Cockney flower girl Eliza in 1912 London. One day Eliza spots a 

man – Henry Higgins, who will be played locally by Tony Edridge – writing down 

every word she says, and he decrees that he could transform her from a 

‘guttersnipe’ into a ‘duchess’ within six months. “Although she’s terrified to 

PHOTO: HEAD SHOTS GLASGOW 

My Fair Lady is such a classic show, and one of my earliest 

memories is of my grandfather quoting it 


MUSICALS 

Tony Edridge 


MUSICALS 

begin with, this idea sparks hope in eliza 

and she decides to find the man and follow 

through on his suggestion, and so begins 

her journey of elocution lessons and harsh 

realities as she tries to become a lady ‘fit for 

a king’. it’s a wonderful story and one that’s 

just as poignant today as it was when it was 

first presented as Pygmalion – a play by 

George Bernard shaw – in 1913,” Maxine 

says. 

Most people know My Fair Lady from 

the musical film version, which starred 

audrey hepburn and was released in 1964, 

directed by George cukor. it brought to life 

beloved numbers including I Could Have 

Danced All Night, Wouldn’t It Be Luverly, 

and Get Me To The Church on Time. 

“My Fair Lady was very much 

branded by the film, as well as by the West 

end version, which starred Julie andrews,” 

Maxine continues. “i am sure many 

audience members will come along 

expecting a replica performance, but i am 

hoping to inject my own spin on the show. i 

don’t want to copy either actress or be 

compared to them. coming up with my 

own identity for eliza is a pleasing part of 

the challenge.” 

and there is a plethora of brilliant 

people helping her to do exactly that, from 

director Denise Mulholland to musical 

director Kris spiteri and choreographer 

emma loftus. “Denise has an incredible 

vision for the show and we’re in the 

advanced stages of putting it all together; 

it’s on its feet and we’re now finding the 

details and colouring it all in. it’s a learning 

curve and every rehearsal helps me to 

discover something new – Denise is 

wonderful like that and really allows me the 

freedom to keep trying new things. 

“the cast is great too. i am so 

enjoying playing alongside tony as higgins 

– we have wonderful chemistry – as well as 

edward Mercieca as col Pickering, alan 

Paris as my dad alfred P Doolittle, and 

thomas camilleri as freddy eynsford-hill, 

plus the delightful chorus. it’s simply 

magical watching it all come together and 

every rehearsal i fall more and more in love 

with it.” 

Maxine has a few favourite moments 

that she is most looking forward to playing 

Coming up with 

my own identity 

for Eliza is a 

pleasing part of 

the challenge 

within the show – particularly when walks 

into the ball for the first time. “it’s a 

cinderella moment!” the actress smiles. 

“the child in me has been dreaming about 

it for years and i can’t wait. that said, i do 

hope my clumsy self won’t trip right at that 

second, as it would be shambolic!” 

so as she goes from flower seller to 

duchess in My Fair Lady, and to island girl 

in Mamma Mia (which will be directed by 

chris Gatt in april), Maxine is certainly 

proving herself to be a versatile performer 

– something that she credits to her recent 

training at the royal conservatoire of 

scotland, which she achieved with the 

support of the Malta arts scholarship. “i 

was lucky enough to be awarded a year of 

study and spent 12 months working full 

Amanda Seyfried in 

Mamma Mia, the movie. 

The sequel is set for 

release later this year. 

Maxine will be taking up 

the role of Sophie in the 

local musical 

production. 

Photo courtesy of 

universal Pictures 

time at the third-best school in the world 

for musical theatre. it helped my 

tremendously – from my focus to my 

performance skills, and i am very excited to 

be bringing that knowledge back to Malta 

and to be performing here again.” 

nevertheless, the jump between the 

two shows will be an impressive one to 

make, especially as the roles couldn’t be 

more different. “to be honest, i am only 

focused on My fair lady for now. then, on 

february 5, once the curtain comes down 

on eliza, it will be all systems go on 

sophie,” she smiles. “i guess switching hats 

in this way will give me a taste of the what 

the professional industry is really like, 

where actors have to be ready to walk into 

different parts at a moment’s notice. all i 

know, is that i feel incredibly lucky to be 

playing just one of these parts, never mind 

two, and i simply can’t wait to bring them 

to the stage.” 

My Fair Lady opens on February 2 at 

the Mediterranean Conference Centre and 

runs until 4 February. Mamma Mia opens on 

April 13 at the Mediterranean Conference 

Centre and runs until April 15. Tickets are 

available online or directly from the MCC 

booking office in the mornings, and via the 

ticket hotline 7944 5030. 

www.mcc.com.mt 


GOOD CAUSES 

HELPING 

CHILDREN 

THROUGH 

TRAUMA 

CLAIRE CHIRCOP TELLS IGGY FENECH HOW ONE MAN’S BATTLE WITH 

ILLNESS LED TO THE BIRTH OF THE KARL VELLA FOUNDATION, AN 

NGO THAT FILLED A VOID VERY FEW HAD REALISED EXISTED. 

When I was three years old, my five-monthold 

brother passed away in his sleep. I don’t 

recall much of what happened that 

morning or in the days and months that 

ensued, but I have little doubt that from 

finding the courage to plan the funeral to 

putting away his jars of uneaten baby food, 

each step of that journey must have been 

utterly traumatic for my parents and my 

teenage brothers. 

Nevertheless, it took me well over a 

decade to realise that my three-year-old 

self must have also experienced the shock 

and the devastation of that event. I mean, 

how could he not? Everything had changed 

overnight for a child who could neither 

understand the complexity of the situation 

nor express how he felt exactly but could, 

nonetheless, feel the depth of the emotions 

he was surrounded with. 

It was for that reason that when I 

went to HQ of the Karl Vella Foundation 

(KVF), it felt a lot more personal than I 

thought it would. See, the KVF’s main role 

is to help children aged between five and 17 

to deal with major traumas in the family, be 

they a death, a sudden accident or a 

chronic or terminal illness – all at no cost to 

the families. 

Set up in May 2014, the Foundation is 

named after Karl Vella, a man who made 

headlines through his courageous battle 

with cancer. Unfortunately, he lost that 

battle, but not before gaining the friendship 

Claire Chircop 


GOOD CAUSES 

The foundation helps children 

deal with major trauma. 

Photos: Mark ZaMMit Cordina 

of Claire Chircop, who was unwilling to 

leave all of karl’s work turn to dust. 

“he was so positive and he always 

wanted to help others,” Claire, the 

chairperson of the kVF, recounts. “he was 

absolutely inspirational, and i’ll never forget 

the lessons he taught me, including that 

everything happens for a reason, and that 

we should always find the positive in 

everything, which is why we started this 

Foundation.” 

Following karl’s demise, in fact, Claire 

and karl’s widow, rose, decided to set up a 

foundation – one whose aim would be to 

help whoever needed that help. 

“throughout the preliminary stages, 

we started approaching nGos to figure out 

what was missing,” she continues. 

“thankfully, we quickly realised that there 

was a lot of help for patients out there but, 

while speaking to rose, she pointed out 

that her husband’s biggest worry was their 

children and how this whole experience 

was affecting them.” 

Fast-forward three years, and the 

kVF is established as the only nGo of its 

kind, offering its services to some 19 

children and managing over 30 fullytrained 

volunteers. through the support of 

hE the President of Malta, the Foundation 

now has its headquarters within the 

President’s kitchen Garden located just off 

the san anton Palace, and it was here 


GOOD CAUSES 

that I met Claire and Michèle Vella 

Distefano, the Foundation’s PR and Events 

Organiser. 

Rightfully proud of their work, they 

began by giving me a tour of their base, 

where a number of children were trying 

their hand at pottery – an initiative, as I 

later discovered, that had won the 

President’s Award for Creativity and was 

being done in collaboration with the Arts 

Council Malta. The lady from Alka Ceramics 

who was teaching the children, was joined 

by Gabriella Cassar, a trainee clinical 

psychologist and Gestalt psychotherapist, 

who was there to observe patterns and 

behaviour. 

“The Centre is open Mondays, 

Wednesdays and Fridays between 

2.30 and 6.30pm, all year round,” 

Michèle tells me. “Where required, 

we also coordinate transport 

arrangements for children to 

be brought here, as the additional 

task of giving children a lift might be 

too much for families who are 

already dealing with a lot of stress 

and commitments.” 

The most inspiring things 

about the KVF, in fact, are the 

attention to detail and its members’ 

dedication to ensuring that 

everyone receives exactly what they 

need. Children are given time and space to 

practise mindfulness, meditation and 

drama, and are offered one-on-one 

sessions with a therapist when required. 

Those who are older engage in 

sessions with Prisms, another NGO that 

offers formal and informal learning 

opportunities to youth - an activity which 

forms part of the ‘adaptive learning’ project 

co-financed by Fond Ghall-Ghaqdiet 

Volontarji 2016 by the Malca Community 

Chest Fund Foundation. And therapy 

sessions are occasionally also offered to 

parents, too. 

“We work on a referral basis, which 

means that a family has to be referred by 

a professional – be it a teacher, a doctor, a 

nurse or a priest,” Claire continues. “This 

has been done to ensure that the support 

offered is indeed required and to get a 

clearer picture of what the child’s family is 

going through. We want to ensure that we 

offer that child the best possible help we 

can give.” 

Although small and relatively new, 

the Foundation has some big plans for the 

future, with new space being developed 

just underneath the current base. These, 

as Claire and Michèle explained to me, will 

help to give older children a place that 

appeals more to them. Moreover, they are 

now working on turning the yard just in 

front of the building into a sports area, as 

well as on introducing a social skills 

programme for children. 

“Taking place over the summer will 

be some eight to 10 sessions where the 

kids will get to focus on social skills,” 

Gabriella, the aforementioned trainee 

clinical psychologist, explains. “This will 

take various forms, be it roleplay, fun 

activities or psychoeducation [a method 

of providing children a practical approach 

to understanding and coping with the 

consequences of their trauma]. 

“These social skills workshops are 

being done by two BSc Psychology 

students who will be putting together 

different activities for the younger and the 

older children, which they can do in a safe 

and understanding space,” she concludes. 

As it stands, the KVF is unlikely to 

run out of eligible candidates anytime 

soon but, on top of its stellar 

work, it’s the raising of awareness 

of how children are affected by 

traumas in the family that 

makes its existence all the more 

valuable. At a time when a family’s 

fabric is being held together by a 

thread, the KVF is there to offer a 

helping hand and support to the 

family’s most vulnerable members 

– and that is exactly what makes 

this foundation so worthy of 

support. 

To apply for help, to 

volunteer or to donate, please visit 

www.karlvellafoundation.org 


PEOPLE 

Love and 

paradise 

ACTRESS AND MODEL MARYSIA S. 

PERES SEEMS TO HAVE FOUND BOTH 

ON THIS ISLAND, WITH HER CAREER 

HITTING ENVIABLE HEIGHTS 

THROUGHOUT THESE PAST MONTHS, 

ESPECIALLY WITH THE SUCCESS OF 

FEATURE FILM LOVE TO PARADISE. 

SHE SHARES HER EXPERIENCES WITH 

RAMONA DEPARES. 

PHOTO: TONY GIGOV 


PEOPLE 

Love to Paradise 

COURTESY OF GALEA PICTURES 

With a starring role on feature film Love to Paradise, shot 

entirely in Malta by Maltese-born director Julian Galea, 

continuing on a steady ascent on the film charts and a 

modelling career that sees her globe-trotting for some of 

fashion’s biggest labels, 2017 is certainly Marysia S Peres’s 

year. The charming result of the union between a Ukrainian 

mother and a Cuban father, is certainly riding high on the 

wave of her success and, given her track record, it is certainly 

well-deserved. 

“The past year has certainly been a good one! It’s been 

busy, there have been feature films, shoots and...I also got 

married,” she tells me with a smile. 

The fact that Marysia is in Malta at all is partly thanks to 

her then-boyfriend and now husband, in fact. She was 

studying in Barcelona, Spain, while he was working remotely 

from there – “we’re somewhat nomads”, she tells me – and, 

after both had finished their studies were a bit at a loss 

about what to do next. 

“He actually asked me: do you know about Malta? I’m 

embarrassed to admit that I didn’t, in fact. Nowadays I get 

annoyed at people who tell me they don’t know where Malta 

is. I spend ages explaining that no, we are not part of Italy!” 

The two seem to have been adopted by our island very 

well, I note. Marysia nods; all it took to convince them to 

make the move was a short holiday here and, before they 

knew it, they were suddenly house-hunting. 

“I immediately liked the industry here and started 

working. I met Carina Camilleri, of Models M, which is my 

agency and we clicked immediately. I love her professional 

approach. On the film front, things looked just as upbeat; 

Malta gets a surprising amount of industry work.” 

2016 saw Marysia making the most of this. Her most 

viewed role was, perhaps, that of Queen Isabella in Justin 

Kurzel’s Assassins’ Creed, alongside Michael Fassbender, 

Marion Cotillard and Jeremy Irons. 

“I think it was my biggest role on a Hollywood movie to 

date. I got the whole treatment; my own trailer, a driver. And 

working alongside the actors was amazing. I felt like a 

rockstar,” she tells me giggling. 

But it was not just about the ‘treatment’, of course. 

Marysia’s role was, to use her own words, both fun and 

challenging. 

“Everyday I’d wear this huge dress and have this 

amazing make-up, complete with fake multiple tattoos on 

my face. It would take three hours to get the look done, it 

reminded me of the Red Queen’s look from Tim Barton’s 

Alice in Wonderland, perhaps because both were created by 

the same brilliant make-up artist. Great memories.” 


PEOPLE 

I-Team 

Courtesy of JJs ProduCCiones 

and Maka Visuals 

Photo: aJ singh 

last year also saw Marysia taking part in the Mystery of 

Britannic, a mini-series by Maltese film company u-film 

Productions. filming took over a month and official release is set for 

next year. 

“i can’t say that swimming in the open sea in april was great 

fun, but the crew was really great. they took very good care of me, 

especially as the swimming bit took some battling of fears. i’m not a 

fantastic swimmer at the best of times!” 

although the series was privately premiered a short while ago, 

Marysia had to miss it – due to being on honeymoon. 

right after the Britannic series, another juicy role showed up – 

that of Carmen in Love to Paradise. 

“yep it’s been busy, although things have quietened down 

somewhat now. that’s the nature of the business; it’s full of ups and 

downs. sometimes i barely have time to do the laundry, and at 

others i have to get creative to fill my time. i had some time to 

travel to the us, the uk, Cannes film festival and more and to 

catch up on expending my skills in between the jobs.” 

Marysia in fact makes it a point to fill up her ‘between jobs’ 

time with useful endeavours. 

“i try to upgrade my CV whenever there’s a lull in work. 

learning a new skill such as dance, taking new coursework... it 

always helps. if you want the opportunities to come a-knocking, you 

need to put in the effort. you can’t control which opportunities 

present themselves, but you can control how prepared you are for 

when they show up. 

But back to Love to Paradise, which is doing incredibly well. 

Marysia tells me that she first saw the call for casting advertised by 

Julian galea online. there was only one snag: casting was taking 

place in los angeles, while Marysia was in Malta. 


PEOPLE 

Assassin's Creed 

Courtesy of 

hobbyConsolas.Com 

It reached No 3 on pre-order 

on the iTunes store, surpassing 

even Wonder Woman 

“i’m quite determined though. i got in touch with Julian and 

emailed him, saying that i would like to send him a self-tape. so i 

did and, happily, i was cast. the male main role was taken by us 

actor myko olivier and the cast came to malta to film on location.” 

because one of the best things about love to Paradise, 

marysia tells me, is the fact that it actually showcases malta as 

malta. 

“you know, i’m fed up of seeing malta doubling up for 

morocco or wherever. it’s lovely to be able to show off malta for 

what it is. it’s one of the things that really attracted me to the story.” 

and the story is certainly pulling in the punters, centreing 

around an unlikely romance between an american tourist and a 

maltese artist. 

“i didn’t expect it to be this big. it reached no 3 on pre-order 

on the itunes store, surpassing even Wonder Woman. the film got 

its european premier recently, and side street films at the eden 

Cinemas showed it for about a month. i went to watch it with my 

husband, even though it did feel somewhat weird, it being a 

romance and all. but i value his opinion bigtime, he is always very 

honest in his feedback,” she tells me. 

talk moves on to her modelling assignments; marysia has 

done stints in China, Japan, hong Kong, ukraine, malta... well all 

over, really. she explains that she started modelling as a teen in 

ukraine, feeling it was the next best thing to acting. 

“there wasn’t much of an acting scene in the ukraine, back 

then. but modelling was popular. i was skinny, tall, had big eyes... it’s 

what they’re usually after, so i figured why not give it a go?” 

and give it a go she did, with very successful results too. she 

says that her fave modelling location is Japan; things are more 

laidback there, with models expected to shoot only about five to six 

looks at a go. 

“in China you have a whole lookbook to shoot, in one sitting. 

oh yes, and in Japan they’re always feeding you. it’s always: here, 

have another chocolate. and there i am, shooting lingerie, trying 

not to get bloated!” 

both marysia’s chosen industries involve spending a significant 

time in the limelight. her self-confidence must be stellar, i observe. 

“only in front of the camera, because i can pretend and i can 

be that which i’m not. in real life i’m actually shy. but when i’m 

pretending to be someone else...then that’s no problem,” she 

concludes with a smile. 

The Mystery of Britannic 

Courtesy of u-film 



Putting the environment first 

SUNDAY CIRCLE SITS DOWN WITH THE UNIT MANAGER OF NATIONAL AFFAIRS AT THE ENVIRONMENT AND 

RESOURCES AUTHORITY, CLAIRE CORDINA BORG, TO DISCOVER WHAT GOES ON WITHIN ITS FRAMEWORK. 

There are many things we take for granted and which we simply assume will always 

work the way they’ve always worked. The environment, however, is not one thing we 

can afford to overlook. In fact, it is only through a healthy environment that we can 

truly have a good quality of life and ensure the same for future generations. 

In Malta, that task falls in the hands of the people who work at the Environment 

and Resources Authority (ERA) – an entity that became independent less than two 

years ago in April 2016. Their role since the demerger has not changed per se, but 

what they do has become more invaluable than ever. 

“Our work is centred around the environment,” explains Claire, who has been in 

the job for over 15 years – well before ERA split from the Planning Authority – and 

who deals with all the Units within the Authority. “We are responsible for creating 

environment-related, nation-wide policies; for ensuring that both new and old 

policies are being upheld by companies, the Government, other entities and the 

general public; for addressing shortcomings and bringing perpetrators back in line; 

and for raising awareness about the environment and the rights people have with 

regards to the environment they live in.” 

To ensure all this is done, ERA has close to 180 personnel split into various 

Directorates and Units. 

The Environment and Resources Directorate has one director, and three 

Deputy Directors responsible for various Units each. The seven Units together 

encompass every sphere of the environment and the laws set up to protect it. 

The National Affairs unit - which Claire leads, provide strategic and horizontal 

input to the thematic and operational Units of ERA, together with the International 

Affairs Unit. This Unit develops ERA policy, greens the policy of other entities external 

to ERA and is also responsible for outreach and communication with stakeholders and 

the general public. The thematic units Claire and her colleagues work closely with 

comprise the Biodiversity and Water Unit, which is responsible for the protection and 

monitoring of the ecological health of the land and the sea, and the Ambient Quality 



and Waste Unit, mainly responsible for waste and air quality monitoring. 

Their work is also linked very closely with the operational units of the 

Authority, which include the Environmental Assessment arm – those in 

direct contact with the Planning Authority to oversee the environmental 

impact of development, and the Permitting, Compliance and 

Enforcement Units. The Permitting Unit assesses the environmental 

impacts of industrial operations for everything from waste disposal to 

mandates for power stations to be able to operate, while the 

Compliance and Enforcement Unit then ensures compliance with the 

obligations arising from the Environment Protection Act - the piece of 

legislation which set up the Authority and gave it and functions. 

“From a strategic perspective, ERA reviews all national and EU 

legislation to ensure that these have as little impact on the environment 

as possible. While we’re living our lives enjoying modern amenities, we 

also need to ensure that we are not destroying the environment we 

need to live in in the first place; after all, we can’t use the environment 

as a resource without protecting it,” Claire continues. 

“We cannot do it alone. It’s the daily life of each and every citizen 

that is having an impact on the environment and we constantly look for 

the cooperation of citizens to ensure that the checks and balances put 

in place continue to give us the quality of life we need and deserve.” 

True to their word, ERA have set up a 24/7 contact number 

(2292 3500) where environment-related emergencies, can be reported. 

They have also created a website that continually keeps citizens up-todate 

with the latest laws and rights – and, for everything else, they are 

bound by law to answer all queries received (whether directly related 

to their work or not) within 30 to 60 days depending on the 

complexity of the situation. 

As an entity, however, ERA is a regulator so it is not directly 

responsible for clean-ups, planting of trees and the such. Nevertheless, 

this hasn’t stopped it from giving many a helping hand. 

“As part of our Corporate and Social Responsibility, we recently 

helped out NGO #Żibel clean up the Lippija area, and we also went to 

Comino this summer with barges and trucks to remove bulky waste 

and alien plants that were affecting indigenous flora. For our first 

anniversary, we planted 150 trees, too. Our belief is that, we are still 

citizens of Malta, we still use its resources, we still live in this 

environment, so it’s our job to help out in that too.” 

ERA’s role, in fact, has truly made a difference over the past few 

years. Today, an area 11 times the size of Malta's land is protected sea; 

they have added 30 new areas (doubling the number to 60) of tree 

protection areas; and they were also behind the landmark closing of 

the Marsa Power Station and the permit given to the Delimara Power 

Station. 

Claire and the rest of the team at ERA are adamant to continue 

to empower Malta’s citizens in protecting the environment. 

Ultimately, however, it’s down to all of us to do our bit to help 

safeguard the one thing that we cannot live without. The tools are 

there. Will you participate? 

Hexagon House, Spencer 

Hill, Marsa, MRS 1441 

Tel: (+356) 2292 3500 

Email: info@era.org.mt 

Website: era.org.mt 


FOOD 

Tutto fa 

brodo! 

WITH SEVEN MICHELIN STARS TO HIS NAME, APPEARANCES ON MASTERCHEF ITALIA AND NUMEROUS 

PUBLICATIONS DOWN, Bruno BarBieri IS THAT MOST EXQUISITE OF CREATURES – AN ITALIAN CELEBRITY 

CHEF. RECENTLY IN MALTA TO ENDORSE ITALIAN ARTISANAL FOOD SHOP UPPERFOOD, HE SHARED ONE 

OF HIS FAVOURITE WINTER STARTERS WITH Sunday CirCle. 

Tortellini in Brodo 

Tortellini in chicken broth with parmesan 

fondue with a pinch of nutmeg 

Serves 4 

INGREDIENTS 

For the stuffing 

• 100gr of pork loin 

• 100gr of cured ham 

• 100gr of mortadella di Bologna (the real 

one) 

• 150gr of Parmesan cheese aged 36 

months (if using a less a lesser aged 

Parmesan cheese use 250gr) 

• 1 egg 

• A pinch of nutmeg 

Marinate the pork loin with sea salt and 

whole peppercorns for 48 hours. Roast in a 

slow oven with butter and when cook wipe 

off the peppers. Finely chop the pork, 

cured ham and mortadella. Add the egg 

and parmesan cheese and a pinch of 

nutmeg and mix all the ingredients well. Let 

to rest for 24 hours before filling the 

tortellini. 

For the pastry 

• 200 gr of flour 00 

• 2 eggs 

On a flat surface form a well in the centre 

of the flour and break the eggs into it. Beat 

the eggs with a fork gradually 

incorporating the flour until the dough has 

reached a consistency that can be 

kneaded by hand. Knead well without 

breaking the dough and when smooth 

wrap it in cling-film and let it rest for about 

1 hour. Roll out the pastry to a thickness of 

around 2 millimetres then cut into squares 

with a special cutter and put some stuffing 

in the centre and shape the squares into 

tortellini. 

For chicken broth 

• 500 gr of chicken meat (organic) 

• 300 gr of beef 

• 1 piece of beef shin 

• 1 marrow bone 

• 1 stick of celery 

• 1 small onion 

• half an onion) 

• some parsley leaves 

• 10/15 gr of sea salt salt. 

To prepare the broth toast the onion on a 

hot plate and in a large pot mix with the 

washed and cleaned meats. Add 3 /4 litres of 

water and put to boil with the other 

ingredients. Part cover the pot and simmer 


on a low flame for around 4 hours. Remember to cover the surface 

with of the broth with a sheet of baking paper to prevent the 

broth from foaming over. 

For parmesan 

• glaze 250 ml of milk 

• 250 ml of cream 

• 15 gr of cornflour 

• 350 gr of Parmesan cheese 

In a saucepan combine the milk and cream to warm them without 

boiling, add the grated parmesan and whisk together. In another 

bowl dissolve the cornflour in a little water and then add it to the 

milk and cream mixture. Let it boil slowly mixing all the time until 

the mixture turns into a silky consistency. 

PRESENTATION 

Cook the tortellini in the chicken broth for a few minutes then put 

them in a pan and combine them in the cheese fondue and add a 

generous pinch of nutmeg. Serve piping hot.

HEALTH 

A new 

year, new 

struggles 

A DISORDER THAT CAN RESULT IN SLEEPLESS NIGHTS AND 

COLD SWEATS, ANXIETY IS ONE CONDITION THAT CAN TURN 

LIVES UPSIDE DOWN, CONSUMING SUFFERERS WITH A 

SENSE OF DREAD THAT IS HARD TO SHAKE OFF. 

PSYCHIATRIST ANTON GRECH TELLS 

MARIELLA CAMILLERI THAT YES, 

SOMETHING CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT. 


HEALTH 

It’s January and the stress of the Christmas season is over. 

However, Joanna 40*, just can’t ward off the racing thoughts 

that plague her day. “It starts early in the morning as I prepare 

the kids for school; then I am off to work, where concentration 

doesn’t always come easy. My thoughts begin to race as I 

struggle to see how I’ll manage all the tasks before night time; 

the cooking, the cleaning and the drives to extracurricular 

activities. Sometimes, it all becomes too much.” 

Everyday, numerous people suffer from overwhelming 

anxiety disorders that affect their daily lives. It is a condition 

that affects around 25 per cent of the population, adults and 

children alike. Psychiatrist Anton Grech explains that anxiety is 

one of the most common mental disorders. “Anxiety can strike 

at any age. However, its severity varies according to the 

individual and certain stressors that may affect one’s life.” 

Avoidant type personalities, the kind of people who tend 

to be worriers, tend to suffer greatly from this condition and 

causes may be externally or internally derived. 

“With anxiety, there are often external factors that bring 

on the stress, like problems at work, conflict with loved ones 

or illness within the family. In these situations, some people 

cope better than others.” 

However, other causes are internal, for instance in the 

case of perfectionism, where those affected place 

themselves in situations where everything must be 

in order. 

Although many believe that 

anxiety has a genetic predisposition, 

there are no 

accurate scientific studies 

to back up this theory. 

The psychiatrist says 

that anxiety has 

more to do with 

one’s upbringing 

Although many believe 

that anxiety has a genetic 

pre-disposition, there are no 

accurate scientific studies to 

back up this theory. 


HEALTH 

and the coping skills developed during childhood that help us cope 

with stress. Joanna says that she has always been a worrier. “At 

school I always feared leaving homework and books behind out of 

fear that I would be punished. Of course, I would pack everything 

meticulously the night before but the thought of forgetting stuff 

was always on my mind.” 

Anxiety occurs when thoughts keep recurring and fear sets in. 

Symptoms include, sweaty palms, palpitations, tremors, headaches 

and a general feeling of unease. “Yes, by the time the day is over I 

always find it hard to relax because I feel hyped as I rush through 

the chores.” Joanna adds that piling on too many tasks tends to 

trigger anxiety. “Often, these are not things that can be avoided. I 

have a full-time job, but I still need to do my chores and to iron 

clothes before I find any time to de-stress.” 

One doesn’t have to encounter a very difficult situation for the 

condition to strike, explains the psychiatrist. “January tends to be a 

difficult month for sufferers, as the post-Christmas stress of buying 

gifts and cooking meals for a large number of people can be very 

worrying. Even though the holiday season brings a time of fun, 

laughter and relaxation, many people still feel overwhelmed.” 

Joanna says that it’s not just general everyday activities that 

stress her out. “I tend to avoid being put on the spot. For example, 

recently I was offered a job that required public speaking and, even 

though I was interested in the job itself, I quickly declined. The idea 

of standing in front of a crowd and giving a speech scared me 

senseless. So, I refused. But from time to time I do have regrets for 

not being confident enough to accept the position. So yes, anxiety 

has held me back.” 

Fear of failing or under performing is nearly always the root 

cause of anxiety. The psychiatrist explains that the condition tends 

to lead to under achievement, as those affected don’t fully grasp 

the opportunities that present themselves. “I often see people who 


HEALTH 

To confound matters, 

anxiety can sometimes 

lead to depression, and 

vice versa. 

set low goals for themselves, and it’s not because they are not 

capable of shooting higher. These people often abstain from 

reaching higher standards to keep their anxiety at bay.” 

To confound matters, anxiety can sometimes lead to 

depression, and vice versa. “The conditions come from the same 

family of ailments, and occasionally one can lead to another. Some 

people suffer from mixed anxiety and depression. With cases of 

severe depression, anxiety is nearly always present.” The 

psychiatrist adds that the conditions differ greatly. However, in 

certain cases, patients may experience both ailments during an 

episode of anxiety/depression. 

So how is anxiety treated? According to the psychiatrist, most 

mental conditions can be managed on three levels. Medical 

intervention relies on the use of medication while psychological 

interventions involve counselling, where patients work through talk 

therapy to get to the roots of the problem. “Of course, 

environmental factors can help greatly. An anxious person copes 

much better at home if their family life is stable – stressful and 

difficult situations always tend to aggravate the condition.” 

The psychiatrist concludes by saying that anxiety is a 

common condition, however many people still suffer in silence. 

“Breaking the taboo against all mental health illness has become 

essential. Today’s medication for anxiety and other conditions have 

been highly refined and comes with very few side effects. Any 

person who feels a psychological burn out and symptoms that 

affect one’s life should seek help. With the right treatment, anxiety 

can be kept at bay and this allows suffers to lead, healthy and 

peaceful lives.” 

Anxiety disorders is an umbrella for different conditions 

In panic disorder, you feel terror that strikes out of the blue. 

During a panic attack, you may also sweat, have chest pain, and feel 

palpitations. Sometimes you may feel like you’re choking or having 

a heart attack. 

Social anxiety disorder happens when you feel overwhelmed 

at everyday social situations, where you feel you may be judged and 

ridiculed for the things you do and say. 

Specific phobias are fears that are related to particular 

objects or situations, such as heights, spiders or flying. This fear 

goes beyond what’s appropriate and may cause you to avoid 

certain situations. 

Generalised Anxiety Disorder brings on an extensive, 

unrealistic worry and tension with little or no reason. 


HEALTH 

How to decide on 

dental treatment 

Patients head to dental clinics to fix their 

teeth or to get advice on their teeth. more 

often than not, they have specific thoughts 

in mind. to us practitioners, some of these 

thoughts make sense, while others not so 

much. in close communities such as ours, 

word travels fast. Patients hear of different 

kinds of treatments carried out, what went 

wrong, timeframes, costs etc. they quote 

how this and that was done and how well it 

worked out for them, but not so much for 

others. 

Patients approach their dentist quoting 

and demanding specific treatment regimes. 

the dentist then examines and proposes 

different treatments. often, patients seek a 

second opinion either because the dentist 

disagrees with their proposal or because the 

patient wishes to verify the new proposal 

with another dentist. Proposals often vary 

from one dentist to another. Patients often 

insist and quote how well a treatment 

worked for her/his friend/family member and 

wish that for themselves. 

in maltese we have a saying; ‘mitt ragel 

mitt fehma’, meaning that a hundred people 

will give a hundred different opinions. this 

also applies to dentists but, luckily, most 

dentists should agree on at least two to 

three lines of treatment for that specific 

patient. obviously, patients cannot be seen 

by so many dentists to decide on what is 

best for them. General dental practitioners 

should be in a position to recognise whether 

the patient in their chair can and should be 

treated by them, or whether they should be 

referred to their more experienced and 

qualified colleagues. 

at times, general dental practitioners 

may also perform procedures done by 

specialists. ongoing dental education and 

professional development courses help 

expand our skills and experience allowing us 

to take on and offer more treatment 

modalities. 

all this is very confusing! to top it up, 

prices for the same treatment also vary. this 

is due to a number of factors; experience, 

qualifications, materials used, set-up, 

guarantee given and most of all service 

offered. For example, patients often say: “but 

the other dentist said it can be done for this 

amount, and now you are saying it will cost 

more and must be done differently”. Believe 

it or not, this is often done by email or 

telephone. Patients call the clinic or send 

radiographs by email and say: “i need this 

and that, how much will it cost?”. they 

expect to get a concrete figure without even 

getting to the clinic, or even without taking a 

radiograph. this is very frustrating for a 

dentist who wishes to offer the best advice 

and perform the right book-standard 

treatment, assuring the patient that their 

treatment will last. 

Sometimes old-fashioned ways of 

treating patients, not referring to techniques 

but to good chair-side manners, are the 

better way to advise patients; to be honest 

to patients, to have peace of mind that the 

patient will walk out happy and would have 

received what was best for them not for the 

dentist or practice. it’s a fine line. don’t rush 

into things, get the information and make 

rational decisions with the help of a 

trustworthy dentist. ask your dentist! 

Dr Jean Paul 

Demajo, 

Dental and 

Implant 

Surgeon.

Circle Jan2018 low

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