Luzzu is a rare Maltese film by first time director Alex Camilleri. This is a quietly powerful film about fisherman Jes who struggles to provide for his wife and newborn, who is in need of growth treatment, against an increasingly hostile economic climate.

Filmed against the serene backdrop of the Mediterranean sea and its falling fish population, Camilleri manages to communicate complex themes of capitalism and the ecological crisis around the core family drama. The titular Luzzu – meaning a traditional Maltese fishing boat – acts as an instrument in the battle between clinging to a sense of cultural identity and succumbing to change for the chance of financial security.

Sequences displaying the mechanics of fishing feel very raw and at times visceral, while the inclusion of real fisherman Jesmark Scicluna as the lead performer only adds to the film’s naturalism.

Above all else, Luzzu sends a strong message about how unnecessarily challenging it is for working class people to achieve a basic human right – to raise a family.