Did you know that the award-winning Captain Phillips, starring Tom Hanks, was filmed in Malta 11 years ago?
In 2013, the world was captivated by the dramatic story of Captain Richard Phillips, whose ship was hijacked by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean. The movie, aptly named ‘Captain Phillips,’ starred Tom Hanks as the titular character and was a critical and commercial success. What many people don't know, however, is that parts of the movie were filmed on our very own Maltese Islands.
‘Captain Phillips’ was filmed in various locations around the world, including Morocco and Virginia. However, it was Malta that provided the backdrop for some of the most crucial scenes in the film. The production team spent six weeks in Malta, filming scenes at sea and in the port of Valletta, Malta's capital city.
In fact, this crew photo recently emerged in a Facebook group, called Filmed in Malta, showing crew members of the film taking a well-needed break from filming in May 2012, 11 years ago!
The choice of Malta as a filming location was no coincidence. It is well known that our islands have a long and storied history in the film industry, with many Hollywood productions choosing the island nation as a filming location including Gladiator with Gladiator 2 currently being filmed. Malta's stunning coastline and historic architecture make it a versatile location for filmmakers.
The filming of ‘Captain Phillips’ in Malta had a significant impact on the local economy. The film's award-winning success also put Malta on the map as a viable filming location for international productions, attracting more film and television productions to the island.
‘Captain Phillips’ was nominated for multiple awards and won several. The film was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor for Barkhad Abdi, who played the lead pirate. The film also won several other awards, including the British Academy Film Award for Best Supporting Actor, the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor, and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actor.
This was a significant moment in the island nation's film history. Do you remember it?