Written by Kerry Gaffney, Scene on Gozo
Gozo is renowned for its stunning scenery, relaxed pace of life, gorgeous seas and charming villages, and rightly so. But did you know that when you walk through those same beautiful landscapes, you are walking in the footsteps of the stars?
Our sister island of Malta has a growing reputation as an international destination for film and TV productions. However, Gozo also has a proud history in film dating back to 1952, when the British war movie Sailor of the King (also known as Single-Handed), shot in Dwejra Bay. In the decades since, the island has hosted dozens of productions and welcomed Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Marisa Tomei, Michael Caine, Joan Collins, Sean Connery and Jeremy Irons and many more to its shores.
When it comes to the screen, Gozo definitely has range. It has frequently stood in for Greece, in the classic 1980 version of Clash of the Titans, 2004’s star-studded Troy and the 2026 Noah Juppe Psyche. Gozo has also played the role of Morocco in the 1980s classic British drama, Brideshead Revisited and the 2016 Birds of a Feather Christmas Special, in which the Gozo Channel Ferry had a starring role. It has also played alien planets (Inseminoid) and fantasy islands (Warlords of Atlantis and Erik the Viking). Gozo also made an anonymous appearance in Sean Connery’s last on-screen role as Allan Quatermain in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, when Xlendi’s cliffs were used to provide the illusion of viewing an endless sea from the conning tower of the Nautilus.
1. Clash of the Titans; 2. F Valentines Day; 3. Pulp; 4. The Madame Blanc Mysteries; 5. Sailor of the King; 6. Count of Monte Cristo
Of course it has played itself, most notably in the 2016 psychological thriller Gozo, and often it has taken on the role of its big sister, Malta. In the late seventies, The Sweeney 2 chased the bad guys to Sannat and Michael Caine drove over one on Ramla Beach in Pulp.
The most well-known film to be shot on Gozo must be By the Sea, written and directed by Angelina Jolie, who also starred in it, along with her then husband Brad Pitt. Principal photography took place in Mġarr ix-Xini, with Sannat and Għarb also appearing briefly as well as various winding roads from around the island. That time Gozo played the French Riviera, and it is thanks to another French-based production that its international draw is increasing.
1. By the Sea; 2. Game of Thrones; 3. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
The Madame Blanc Mysteries is British cosy crime comedy drama television series first aired in 2021 and became instantly popular, in no small part due to the charm and warmth of its location. Set in the South of France but filmed across Gozo, and occasionally Malta, the series has attracted visitors as far away as Tasmania to experience the landscape , and locations, for themselves.
Every stroll on Gozo could unwittingly take you through a film or TV set, from the ancient walls of the Citadel to Dwejra Bay’s cinematic shores. Any step could be where one of your favourite stars or shows filmed; movie magic lurks around every sun-drenched corner.
