Pierre J. Mejlak's award-winning novel Rih Isfel
was turned into a TV series for Malta's Net TV. It was the station's
prime-time TV series from October 2010 to January 2011.
The book tells the story of a young boy who goes
missing and the subsequent mobilisation of all echelons of village
society to search for him and bring him back home safely. "The
13-episode series goes further than the book and regales viewers
with an adrenaline rush of drama, teenage love, police investigations,
intelligent dialogue and unforgettable characters," director
Charles Stroud of 26th frame said.
The story takes place in a small, quiet Maltese
village in the hot, sticky summer days. It's a village in which
nothing ever happens. So, when Jonathan, an 11-year-old boy, goes
missing everything changes. "His mother is crying for his return.
The police and relatives are out looking for him and the 'kazin'
- the village club - is becoming a hub of new activity," explains
director Charles Stroud. "In the meantime, all of the country's
attention has shifted to the village, where everyone feels like
a participant in the search for the boy. But nothing is simple.
The challenge for the Police Inspector in charge of the investigations
seems too complex. And the atmosphere of 'omertà', I'd rather
not tell, is not helping much for things to become clearer."
Gambling - on anything - is the driving force of
the village. Residents bet money on everything and everyone, and
of course, a village disappearance is perfect fodder to fuel this
obsession. Screenwriter Pierre J. Mejlak plays with this, creating
moments of subtle humour that will have all viewers recognising
some part of themselves or their friends in the goings on.
The TV series was filmed in various Maltese locations,
mainly Siggiewi. The cast, made up of more than 100 actors, includes
some of Malta's most loved TV actors, alongside an array of up-and-coming
young ones.
The novel, published by Merlin Library in 2007,
was adapted into a TV series by Pierre J. Mejlak himself, who regaled
his TV audience with a surprising new ending. When first published,
the novel won the National Book Award and was showcased at the London
Book Fair.