Private Project

Morning Star

Christina, a British singer, arrives in Malta in 1937 to entertain the troops. She meets and falls deeply in love with daredevil RAF pilot, Warby, as the shadow of the Second World War draws ever closer to their island paradise. Based on a true story.

Morning Star is a UK - Malta co-production.

  • Zara Balfour
    Director
    Children of the Snow Land
  • Zara Balfour
    Writer
    Children of the Snow Land
  • Larissa Bonaci
    Writer
  • Enrico Tessarin
    Writer
    The Habit of Beauty
  • Rachel Kaden
    Writer
  • Enrico Tessarin
    Producer
    The Habit of Beauty
  • Winnie Wong
    Producer
  • Larissa Bonaci
    Producer
  • Zara Balfour
    Producer
    Children of the Snow Land
  • Larissa Bonaci
    Key Cast
    "Christina"
  • Ben Lamb
    Key Cast
    "Warby"
  • Nanette Brimmer
    Key Cast
    "Older Christina"
  • Narcy Calamatta
    Key Cast
    "Greengrocer"
  • Edward Mercieca
    Key Cast
    "Mr Fiteni"
  • Stephen Oliver
    Key Cast
    "Air Marshall"
  • Paul Mackay
    Director of Photography
  • Paul Zabihi
    Production Designer
  • Francis Ghersci
    Editor
  • Peter Michaels
    Original Songs & Score Composer
  • Didi Mizzi
    Costume Designer
  • Lara Licari
    Makeup & Hair Designer
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    romance, drama, love story, true story, wartime
  • Runtime:
    28 minutes 16 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 5, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    50,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    Malta
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    RED Dragon
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Zara Balfour

Zara Balfour is an award-winning director, writer and producer, who also runs a non-profit organisation. She has filmed in over 20 countries, often documenting community projects in developing countries. Zara began her career as an actress before moving behind the camera. She worked with Sophie Fiennes on a programme for BBC Storyville, going on to produce and/or direct short films, TV commercials and documentary content. Zara then moved into longer format storytelling; directing documentaries and writing. Her first feature documentary ‘Children of the Snow Land’ won the BIFA Raindance Discovery Award 2019, a Grierson Award shortlist, two Screen Awards nominations, One World Media Awards 2020 longlist, 20 festival awards, 60 UK cinema screenings, TV broadcasts including Arte, NHK, UR and VOD on Curzon Home Cinema. Her earlier short films as producer won awards at Berlin Film Festival, London Film Festival, European Film Awards, Creative Review and Cannes Lions. Most recently, Zara directed ‘Morning Star’, a wartime love story set in Malta, which is Zara’s most ambitious drama directing role to date. Zara has been featured on BBC Woman’s Hour, BBC World, Talk Radio, she is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and she has lectured on cinema and human rights advocacy. Zara’s non-profit organisation, Snowland Journeys CIC, supports Himalayan communities in Nepal, enabling young people from remote mountain villages to achieve an education whilst maintaining their family connection.

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Director Statement

Made for a limited budget of just €50,000 this expansive period drama film is a triumph of teamwork with many people joining our mission to bring this important wartime true story to life and I am delighted with how much we achieved with so little.
This film is a love story at its heart, but not just one love story. There are two closely intertwined love stories upon which we focus and intertwine: first, the love story between our two main characters, Christina and Warby, and secondly, their love story with Malta.
When we enter the film, we see two young people in the prime of their lives, meeting and falling in love. They’re both British and the imminent war draws them, separately, to Malta: Christina to entertain the troops and Warby to fly as a reconnaissance pilot with the RAF.
As a filmmaker, I am attracted to stories that encourage people to see a world beyond themselves
and explore different ways of life and the human condition. In this film, we learn about the British and Maltese of the 1940s and look at the effect war has on relationships. In a time when so much
of Europe is becoming fragmented, it is important that we remember how war does tear people apart. I was struck by the recent D-Day celebrations and the war veterans who spoke about the importance of peace and working together. This story is relevant not just as a romantic love story, an uplifting musical, or a document of Malta at war, but also in a meaningful wider context looking at what war brings to everyday life, to joy and to couples in love.