The history of cinema in Malta begins in a darkened room at Verdala Palace in December 1896. The Governor sits in the front row as the first moving images flicker before his eyes. Only one year earlier, during the same month of December, the Lumière brothers had presented a projected moving picture, lasting about 25 seconds, to an audience in Paris for the very first time. Amazingly, just a few years before that, in 1890–1891, Giuseppe Sacco Albanese from Bormla became the first man ever to be captured on celluloid during pioneering experiments at Thomas Edison’s West Orange laboratory.

In those early days, films were mostly short clips lasting only a few minutes. They were shown at fairgrounds, musical theatres, ballrooms, cafés, theatres, band clubs and parish halls.

Quick to seize an opportunity, Mr Harding opened Malta’s first cinema, ‘Harding’s Cinematograph’, in Valletta in January 1897. It was located next to the Europa Coffee House in St George’s Square. Other cinemas soon sprang up, among them ‘Salinos’ in Strada Rjali where Café Cordina stands today, and’ l-Internazionale’, at the corner of St Lucy Street, where the Law Courts are now located.

Source: Bay retro, Old Cinemas in Malta (Facebook)

Because films had no sound, they included captions or printed titles and dialogue so audiences could follow the story. In fancier cinemas like the ‘Internazionale’, which was long and narrow, screenings were brought to life by live musicians. A quartet, including a pianist, would play music beneath the stage curtain, matching the mood and action on screen.

Going to the cinema was a social event, much like attending the theatre. The audience became part of the drama. People excitedly read the titles aloud, often projected onto sheets of cotton, and reacted loudly to what they saw; gasping, laughing, shaking their fists, or cheering the actors on as if they were real people.

Cinema Salinos. Source:Old Cinemas in Malta (Facebook)

Salvatore Lorenzo Cassar

In 1926, the Bell Laboratories created Don Juan, the first film to include a recorded soundtrack. A year later, Warner Brothers released The Jazz Singer, the first feature-length motion picture with spoken dialogue. This breakthrough marked the end of the silent film era – and the end of many film stars’ careers.

In the closely knit dockyard communities of Bormla (Cospicua), Birgu (Vittoriosa), Isla (Senglea) and Kalkara, going to“il-picture” or “it-Talkies” was more than simple entertainment. It was ritual, escape, and social glue. Long before television sets flickered into living rooms, the cinema offered stories from far beyond the Grand Harbour, projected onto screens in neighbourhood streets. Wooden seats, narrow aisles, ceiling fans, and the smell of cigarettes and orangeade all became part of the experience.

Cospicua once boasted three cinemas: The Rialto’, ‘The Rio’, and ‘The Windsor’.

‘The Rialto’, opened around 1931and later became known as the grand cinema of the Three Cities and was one of the largest cinemas of the post-war era.

Around the same time, Maltese photographer Salvatore Lorenzo Cassar began experimenting with the new art of moving pictures. Born in Vittoriosa in 1855, Cassar trained in Tripoli before returning to Malta after 1888, where he opened photographic studios in Valletta. Known for using the most modern techniques of his day, he was always eager to try something new. By 1909, he had turned his attention to film, and by 1915 newspapers were describing him as “the only man in Malta who photographs for the cinematograph.” He filmed important local events, including the Imnarja Agricultural Exhibition, which was shown at the ‘Cinema Teatro Internazionale’, as well as major national ceremonies such as those commemorating the death of King Edward VII. His work was praised for its clarity and attention to detail.

Sadly, none of Cassar’s films survive today.

As cinema grew in popularity, screening venues spread to Sliema and from there to towns and villages across Malta, including the Cottonera area. Before long, it was possible to count almost 200 places showing films on the Maltese islands, especially after the arrival of the first ‘talkies’, or movies with sound. Spaces that had once been cafés or halls gradually transformed into dedicated cinemas.

The Old Rialto. Source: Salvatore Muscat, Te fit-Tazza (Facebook)

‘The Windsor’ cinema was in Misraħ Gavino Gulia (the market square) in Bormla, directly opposite the main gate of the Dockyard. Its owner, Mr Antonio Callus, was a well-known local entrepreneur. He organised the circus and also owned a tobacco company in Bormla, manufacturing cigarettes under the names Doctor’s Special and Cocks. The company’s offices were based in St Lucy Street, Valletta.
(See also: History of Tobacco in Cottonera )

The Windsor. Source: TVM News

Antonio Callus. Source: Cinema Heritage Group’s Post (Facebook)

Besides ‘The Windsor’, Antonio Callus was also the proprietor of ‘The Rio’ cinema and ‘St George’s Cinema’, which was located inside what is today, Café Riche, just outside Birgu. ‘St George’s Cinema’ was an open-air theatre, especially popular for Maltese plays known as Teatrin.

Before ‘St George’s Cinema’ became associated with Café Riche, there had already been another cinema with the same name in a different part of Cospicua.

At the time, newspapers referred to it using various names, including ‘Cinema St George’, ‘Teatro Cinema San Giorgio’, and ‘Teatro-Cinematograph San Giorgio’. This was before the First World War.

The cinema was located at number 39, Strada Toro (today known as Triq il-Gendus). This building was also the headquarters of the San Giorgio Band. When the Società Operaja Cattolica organised an event there, they publicly thanked the San Giorgio Philharmonic Society for allowing them to use the premises, confirming that the cinema belonged to the Filarmonica San Giorgio.

One of the earliest known references to this cinema dates to 1909, when a play was performed there. The building was not used solely for films; it also hosted theatre performances and, at times, concerts. This is why it was commonly referred to as a “teatro cinema.”

Open air-theatre at Cafe Riche. Source Joe Demicoli, Old Cinemas in Malta (Facebook)

The Diana, Birgu. Source: TVM News

Senglea had its own cinema known as ‘The Stall’, or ‘l-iStoll’, located in 81, Victory Street.

In Birgu, ‘The Diana’ cinema was well known for screening Italian films produced by Società Italiana Cines. These often starred the popular Italian dramatic actress Francesca Bertini, widely known as “Il-Diva.” Major blockbusters from this period included Quo Vadis and Marcantonio e Cleopatra, released in 1913, followed by Caius Julius Cesare the year after. The Diana Theatre was situated in a downstairs vault in the Knights’ Armoury in Birgu.

Fort St Angelo in Birgu also had its own naval cinema, which opened in 1919 as a multi-purpose recreation hall established by the British. Known as Egmont Hall, it had a seating capacity of 220, and a projection room was later added.

Meanwhile, the Royal Navy Canteen on the Corradino shore was the largest services film venue in Malta. Its auditorium was equipped with 16mm projectors and could accommodate 651 personnel. During the 1960s, the cinema held six screenings per week. In the 1980s, the building was demolished to allow for the expansion of the dockyards.

The Buckingham in Zabbar. Source: TVM News

The Gaiety, Sliema. Source: Old Cinemas in Malta (Facebook)

Close by in Zabbar, there was another cinema called ‘The Buckingham’. In the 1930s there was a strict rotation of films. Manoel Theatre in Valletta would show films throughout the summer season. The same films would then make their way to the ‘Gaiety’ and ‘Majestic’ cinemas in Sliema before being sent to the ‘Rialto’ in Bormla. From then these movies were shown in the ‘Trianon’ in Ħamrun, in the ‘Roxy’ in Birkirkara before ending up at the ‘Real’ in Raħal Ġdid.

Families would look forward to a cinema outing treat at the end of the week. Tickets for weekend showings would need to be purchased at least one week prior to screenings. Newsreels from Pathe News in London, and sketches from Walt Disney cartoons were shown before each film. At a time when many households in Malta did not yet own a television set, a visit to the cinema also served as an important way of keeping informed about events around the world. Children’s matinées were held at weekends and evening screenings were timed to suit dockyard shifts. The foyers to the cinema were decked out in large photographs and posters of film stars popular at this time such as Errol Flynn, Cary Cooper, Tyron Power, Lana Turner, Spencer Tracy, Betty Grable, Robert Taylor, Clark Cable, Ingrid Bergman and others.

Façade of Stall/Stoll Cinema in Isla/ Senglea. Source: cinematreasures.org/theaters/24219/photos/182598

Cottonera was among the hardest-hit areas during the bombing of the Second World War, and many cinema buildings were damaged or destroyed. St George’s Cinema in Cospicua was destroyed and not rebuilt as a cinema, its site lost to post-war development. Senglea’s Stall, Birgu’s Diana, and Cospicua’s Windsor were impacted by blasts, and limped on, with showings disrupted by as much as 70% before closing permanently. Cospicua’s pre-war Rialto was also destroyed by Axis air raids, while Rio Cinema was also too badly damaged to operate by 1941, with losses of stocks like Chaplin films.

At the start of the war, when air raids became commonplace, cinemas were quickly shut, as the authorities feared large amounts of people gathering in closed spaces where fatalities would be high. But as the war dragged on, cinemas were re-opened and seen as necessary to lifting public morale, and to keep service men away from bars as much as possible. In a circular dated 5th January 1942, cinema owners were told that the number of cinemagoers in any one film screening should not be more than 250 people. Also, all gangways, passages and exits were to be left free of any obstructions, in case of an air-raid. Newsreels filled with footage of war in distant battlefields were also played before films. Cinema reels were brought in on submarines and projectionists would cycle down to the harbour and carry the reels strapped on their bikes.

Rescuers at the scene of the tragedy at the Regent Cinema, Valletta. Photos: Malta at War, Volume 4, by John Mizzi and Mark Anthony Vella. Source: Times of Malta

On the 15th of February 1942, at around 5.54 pm, a JU 88 bomber dropped a stick of 250 kg bombs on Valletta. The Casino Maltese, The Grandmaster’s Palace and the Regent cinema in Valletta were hit. Unfortunately, the auditorium of the Regent was almost full for the afternoon showing of ‘The North-West Mounted Police’ starring Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald.  The building collapsed onto the audience, most of whom were servicemen enjoying their Sunday leave.  It is estimated that around 100 people died in these bombings including many Air Force pilots.

The post-war period, however, brought renewed enthusiasm. Cinemas reopened as symbols of normality and optimism, drawing large audiences eager for colour, music, and romance after years of hardship.

The Rialto Cinema began to be rebuilt in 1954 in the Art Moderne (Deco) style by architect Edwin England Sant, on a bomb-damaged site at the corner of Triq il-Pellegrinaġġ in Cospicua (which at the time was spelt ‘Kospikwa’ by The Times of Malta). The new site was located a few streets away from where the original Rialto had once stood.

Inside the Rialto. Source: Salvatore Muscat, Te fit-Tazza (Facebook)

The cinema reopened in May 1956 with the film The Student Prince, starring Ann Blyth and Edmund Purdom. Owned by Messrs. M. Said and Sons, the new Rialto was considered one of the largest cinema halls in Malta, with a seating capacity of 1,100. It featured stereophonic sound -the best on the island at the time- and a Cinemascope mirror screen measuring 45 feet in length. Initially, the cinema was powered by electricity supplied from the newly built Dockyard power plant.

Opening night at The Rialto. Source: Charlie Mizzi, Old Cinemas in Malta (Facebook)

Inside the Rialto. Source: Salvatore Muscat,  Te fit-Tazza (Facebook)

Inside the Rialto. Source: Salvatore Muscat, Te fit-Tazza (Facebook)

The Rialto’s façade was particularly dramatic. Tall, arched cobalt-blue crystal glass windows filtered daylight, while at night a large, illuminated sign transformed the square. The sign depicted the Rialto Bridge in Venice with a gondola, accompanied by neon lettering approximately 40 centimetres high, mounted on the cinema’s curved ‘tower’, lighting up Paolino Vassallo Square.

The Rialto. Source: Salvatore Muscat, Te fit-Tazza (Facebook)

Inside the auditorium, tip-up seating was installed, with extra space between rows -2 feet 6 inches to 2 feet 9 inches-, instead of the regulation 2 feet 4 inches, offering greater comfort. The hall included a main balcony with side balconies, a stuccoed proscenium arch, and embroidered curtains in a mustard shade colour. The lobby contained a restaurant and bar, complete with a fountain at its centre.

The Rialto. Source: Salvatore Muscat, Te fit-Tazza (Facebook)

Carnival Dance at the Radio City Hall Cinema in Hamrun. Source: Old Cinemas in Malta

The Rialto was more than just a cinema. It became a major focal point of social life for Cospicua and the Three Cities, a place for meeting, celebration, and shared experiences. During Carnival, dancing in costume inside the cinema halls was especially popular. The Rialto was famous for its powerful sound system. When the film The Robe (1953) was shown, the sound of thunder was so realistic and loud that it amazed audiences. On some occasions, people living nearby, and even passers-by, would stop outside the cinema just to listen to the dramatic thunderclap. It is believed that the projectionist may sometimes have turned up the volume even more to impress both the audience inside and those gathered outside the theatre.

Senglea’s Stall Cinema was also rebuilt after the war, reopening in 1959. It faced competition from a religious venue next door, which also screened films.

Kalkara finally got its own cinema. Built in the late 1950s, Gem Cinema (also referred to as the ‘American Gem Theatre’) was situated in the village square but was later converted into apartment units.

Besides ‘The Diana’ in Birgu, the Catholic Action, located on La Vallette Street, screened films from the years following the Second World War until the end of the 1960s. The Birgu Parish Hall later took over, showing films from the late 1960s to the early 1980s.

By 1956, cinema admissions had risen to over six million with close to 500 films being released in that year, making it the most popular form of entertainment on the Islands.

The film The Malta Story (1953) showed the strength and determination of the Maltese people, along with the bravery of RAF pilots during the Second World War. It became extremely popular and broke cinema attendance records in Malta during the early 1950s. Another proud moment for the country came when Maltese tenor Oreste Kirkop starred in the international film The Vagabond King (1956), attracting large audiences and bringing recognition to Maltese talent.

Programming in Maltese cinemas reflected the island’s position at a cultural crossroads. Italian films were hugely popular, especially melodramas and comedies, while British and American productions offered glamour, adventure, and a sense of modernity. Westerns, musicals, and historical epics regularly drew full houses. For many people, the cinema was also their first encounter with other languages, fashions, and ways of life, which they often copied.  Actors and actresses were idolised. Women looked up to Doris Day and started to wear slacks like Audrey Hepburn. While young men ditched their suits and found a new ‘rebellious teenage uniform’ in the jeans, and leather jackets worn by Elvis Presley, Marlon Brando and James Dean. ‘Sword and Sandal’ epics such as  ‘Spartacus’ encouraged men to start going to the gym, whilst Good Friday processions became more elaborate as participants began dressing up as biblical characters, inspired by the costumes and props used in biblical blockbusters such as  ‘The Ten Commandments’

Young couples courted in the dark, children watched wide-eyed from the front rows, and families shared an affordable night out that truly belonged to everyone.

The cinema experience in Cottonera was deeply communal. Ushers and ticket sellers were often local residents, known by name. Regulars attended the same screenings week after week, exchanging comments while queuing or during the interval. The cinema was a place where sexes mixed, class boundaries blurred, where the dock worker sat beside the shopkeeper, and where a shared gasp or burst of laughter bound the audience together. In post-war Malta, many people were still unable to read or understand English or Italian, which were the main languages used in films. Because of this, some cinema-goers would kindly explain the story to others during the screening. At times, people who became bored would start talking, and they often had to be shushed so everyone else could enjoy the film.

Cinema also played an important role in education through mobile cinema roadshows that travelled to towns and villages across Malta. These were organised by the government’s Department of Information (DOI), which used large vehicles fitted with screens to show documentaries about everyday topics such as health, migration, and transport. The aim was to share useful information in an interesting and entertaining way, reaching as many people as possible, including communities in Gozo.

These travelling cinema events were very popular. At the time, village streets were lively social spaces where neighbours gathered to talk and spend time together, while children played outside. The screenings therefore became not only educational opportunities but also enjoyable community occasions.

Films were strictly censored, and any scenes that might offend Catholic values or public morality were often cut out before being shown. The Church’s Diocesan Commission even published a film guide to advise people on what was suitable to watch. The only films that were not censored were those shown at the University of Malta campus, starting in the 1960s. For many young people, attending these screenings felt exciting and rebellious, as they could watch films exactly as they were made.

Rialto Foyer. Source: Salvatore Muscat,  Te fit-Tazza (Facebook)

Stall Cinema. Source: Cinema Heritage Group, Marc Zimmermann

By the 1960s, however, cinema attendance began to decline with the rise of television and the discotheque. Long queues and crowds outside cinemas gradually disappeared. Between 1979 and 1984, cinema attendance dropped by nearly one third. In 1979 there were 36 cinemas operating in Malta; by 1984 this number had fallen to just 22.

Gradually, screens went dark.

During the 1980s, video cassettes transformed home entertainment. Films could now be rented, rewound, and watched again. The living room became its own cinema. Later, DVDs continued this shift, strengthening the pull of home viewing. At the same time, maintenance costs increased, buildings aged, and many family-run cinemas struggled to compete.

The Rialto Cinema closed its doors in 1982 while the Stall Cinema closed in 1985. The Rialto was later acquired by the Labour Party and used as a headquarters for conferences during Dom Mintoff’s leadership, before the party later moved to Mile End. For some time, the ground floor of the building was occupied by HSBC Bank, which also eventually closed. Earlier still, the right-hand side of the ground floor had housed a small branch of Barclays Bank in Malta.

In 2010, the Rialto building was listed as a Grade 2 heritage site.

In Senglea, the Stall’s auditorium was converted into a snooker hall, and in 2008 the building was demolished and replaced by an apartment block.

By the early 1990s, cinema began to make a comeback with the introduction of multiplex cinemas. Today, despite strong competition from online streaming services such as Netflix and Apple TV, there are 33 cinema screens operating across six complexes throughout Malta and Gozo.

Although there are no operational commercial cinemas in Cottonera, the nearest cinemas are located close by, at the Galleria Shopping Mall in Paola. However, Kalkara is home to the Malta Film Studios, which in recent years have hosted the filming of major international productions such as Napoleon and Gladiator II, both directed by Ridley Scott.

Watch this short documentary about the Rialto (In Maltese)

Another Documentary