OUR FILM
Christina Ratcliffe, a British singer, arrives in Malta in the late 1930s to perform at The Morning Star, a music hall in Strait Street, Malta. She meets and falls deeply in love with daredevil RAF pilot, Adrian Warburton, as the shadow of the Second World War draws ever closer to their island paradise. Based on a true story.
"Morning Star" is based on the true-life story of Ms Christina Ratcliffe, a British entertainer who travelled to Malta to sing at The Morning Star nightclub, in Valletta's infamous Strait Street. Little did Christina know that Malta would become a part of her, heart and soul.
Present-day, many years have passed since the war, Christina is in her apartment in St. Paul’s Bay, where she lives alone. Her life has changed drastically since her days as an entertainer. There’s a sense of nostalgia as Christina takes us back to an earlier time in her life which, whilst fraught with difficulty, was full of joy and excitement.
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Upon arrival in Malta, Christina immediately begins work entertaining the troops and locals. An instant hit.
One man, in particular, takes a deep liking to our Star. Although he's busy being a photo-reconnaissance pilot in the RAF, he makes it his priority to get to know Christina. Adrian Warburton, also known as Warby, is a dashing daredevil who will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
Christina and Warby soon fall in love and share a whirlwind of emotions. The sparks between them are electrifying and nothing seems to be able to get between their love. However, something very sinister takes hold of the world: the Second World War. The war tests the lovers' relationship as it slowly makes its way to Malta, a strategic naval base in the Mediterranean that is coveted by opposing forces.
The short film stars Ben Lamb as Adrian Warburton and Larissa Bonaci as Christina Ratcliffe, also featuring established actors Narcy Calamatta, Nanette Brimmer, Edward Mercieca and Joe Depasquale. Special appearance by philharmonic pianist Joanne Camillieri.
Original Music by Peter Michaels and Choreography by Warren Bonello.
We are so close to raising enough money for this film, now we just need your help to get us over the finish line. We want to make the film as expansive as possible and show Malta’s crucial role in the War, and to do this we need to include some real archive video footage of the Second World War, which we have to pay to use. We also need some more money for the editing process. Please help us make this film the best it can be! This is a wonderful true story, never before told on film, and we promise you’ll enjoy watching the finished film… Please help us get over the final hurdles so we can bring this story to the world!
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Why should this story be told?
Christina was strong, intelligent and a romantic. She loved Malta as her home, she wanted to be part of the island that became her heart. Malta is also the place she fell in love for a second time with Warby… however there is a bittersweet ending as one time Warby did not return to the islands. He was on a mission, for the son of Roosevelt that ended tragically. Christina waited for many years for her daredevil to return…but he didn’t.
The theme that stands out the most here is how powerful such a small island is. Malta was brave, Malta created hope and Malta was the place people loved and open-heartedly worked together to survive. Malta is at the heart of this wartime love story that is so relevant as it connects to so many hearts around us.
We are attracted to stories that encourage people to see a world beyond themselves, exploring different ways of life, the human condition. In this film, we learn about 1940s British and Maltese and look at the effect war has on relationships. In a time when so much of Europe is fragmenting, it is important that we remember. We were struck by recent D-Day celebrations and war veterans who spoke about the importance of peace and working together. This film is relevant not just as a romantic love story, an uplifting musical, or a document of Brits in Malta in wartime, but also in a meaningful wider context looking at what war brings to everyday life.
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OUR STORY
Producers Enrico Tessarin and Winnie Wong from Pinch Media, joined actress and producer Larissa Bonaci to develop a short film based on the adventures of the incredible woman Christina Ratcliffe. Larissa's dream was to immortalise Christina Ratcliffe's unique story on film.
After many months of developing a script, director Zara Balfour was an incredible addition to the team. Her vision and strong writing skills brought about a solid script that we managed to film a few months ago.
DOP Paul Mackay and Production Designer Paul Zabihi along with their team created beautiful visuals which, we are excited to share with you.
Head of Make-up Lara Licari and her team along with Costume Designer Didi Mizzi were imperative in creating the many glamorous looks and specific 40's styling in the short.
We would love to thank all the cast and crew who worked round the clock in order to create a gorgeous film.
We are now in our final stages of finishing the film and with your help and support, our dream can become a reality.
Our director Zara Balfour has recently won a BIFA for her documentary “Children of the Snow Land”. We believe that her vision for the short will allow our film to reach its full potential. Zara is now on her way to becoming a BAFTA Nominee which is very exciting for all of us.
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0050173/
Our lead actress and producer Larissa Bonaci has recently won Best Actress for her role in the short film Fear and is currently in preparation for a lead role on a TV series to be shot in Malta.
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3574392/
Our Producers Pinch Media. Over the last 10 years, we have directed, written and produced 3 feature documentaries, 1 documentary series and 2 feature films and countless shorts.
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1015729/
How much do we need?
We need €10,000 to fully complete the film. If we get €3,500 we would be able to get to the next stage of our edit, purchase WW2 archive footage and have something to send our film to festivals.
We have been supported by Screen Malta and Malta Tourism Authority along with €20,000 of our own money and secured a sponsorship agreement with Stargate, Malta for our post-production.
Please help us to finish the film and arrive at our final milestone. We want to share Christina and Warby's story with the world, please help us make this a reality.
Other ways you can help:
We understand that not everyone can help financially, but you can still help us by spreading the word: Please tell all your friends, use the Indiegogo share tools on social media, join our Facebook page or tell everyone about this crowdfunding campaign. Getting out there and making some noise about this helps too! The more people who care about this film, the more likely it will get shown around the world.
What do you get for helping?
We've got some great 'perks' that we hope you'll love - everything from getting to join our community of supporters, meeting our stars and team, and seeing the film before anyone else, to official sponsorship. Plus, if you've always fancied being part of the film industry, then we have a perk that brings you onboard our team as one of our associate or executive producers.