One morning in Kalkara, a fake Colosseum towers over the harbour. Extras in armour line up for battle scenes. That little corner of Hollywood isn’t there just because Malta is sunny. It exists because the state chose to throw serious incentives at foreign productions, including a cash rebate that can refund up to 40% of eligible local spending, and to market Malta as a prime filming location. Those rebates are what turn warehouses into studios and dockyards into film sets. Zo