Two Black Mondays: How a New Documentary Reveals Malta’s 90-Year Economic Struggle Through Ordinary Families’ Eyes

**Watch: Two Black Mondays, 90 years of chronicling Malta’s history**

In the heart of Valletta, where limestone facades bear witness to centuries of Mediterranean drama, a remarkable cinematic journey is unfolding. “Two Black Mondays,” a documentary that premiered this week at the historic Embassy Cinema, doesn’t just recount Malta’s past—it resurrects it through the lens of two pivotal days separated by exactly 90 years.

The film, directed by local historian and filmmaker Rebecca Cauchi, draws a haunting parallel between October 28, 1929—the original Black Monday that triggered the Great Depression—and October 28, 2019, when Malta faced its own economic reckoning following the political upheaval surrounding journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia’s assassination. This deliberate juxtaposition has struck a chord with Maltese audiences hungry for context about their nation’s turbulent recent history.

“Everyone knows about Black Monday in America, but few realize how deeply that crisis affected our islands,” Cauchi explains from her Sliema office, surrounded by archival footage and yellowed newspapers. “Within months of the 1929 crash, Maltese emigration to Australia and Canada tripled. Our limestone villages literally emptied overnight.”

The documentary’s genius lies in its granular approach to history. Rather than grand narratives, Cauchi focuses on ordinary Maltese families—the Camilleris of Żejtun, who lost their cotton export business in 1929, and the Zahras of St. Paul’s Bay, whose tourism-dependent livelihoods crumbled in 2019. Through intimate interviews and painstakingly restored home footage, the film reveals how global economic earthquakes feel when experienced in Maltese living rooms.

Local audiences have responded with visceral recognition. During screening Q&As, elderly viewers have shared memories of their fathers boarding ships to Melbourne, while younger Maltese speak of friends forced to relocate to Dubai or London after 2019. The film has become an unlikely bridge between generations, with grandparents and grandchildren discovering shared experiences across nine decades.

The cultural significance extends beyond mere historical documentation. In a country where political divisions run deeper than the Grand Harbour, “Two Black Mondays” has achieved something remarkable: unanimous praise from across Malta’s fractured political spectrum. Both Labour and Nationalist supporters have embraced the film’s nuanced portrayal of economic vulnerability, seeing their own family stories reflected in its narrative.

“This isn’t about blame,” insists Professor Arnold Cassar, head of history at the University of Malta. “It’s about understanding how small island nations like ours are uniquely vulnerable to global forces. The film shows that whether it’s 1929 or 2019, working-class Maltese bear the brunt while having the least control.”

The documentary has sparked a nationwide conversation about economic resilience. Local councils from Gozo to Marsaxlokk have organized community screenings, followed by discussions about building more sustainable local economies. The Malta Chamber of Commerce has even incorporated the film into its leadership training programs, using historical lessons to inform future planning.

Perhaps most poignantly, “Two Black Mondays” has inspired a wave of historical preservation. Families have begun donating private letters, photographs, and Super 8 footage to Malta’s national archives, building an unprecedented visual record of ordinary Maltese life. The National Library has reported a 300% increase in genealogy inquiries since the film’s release.

As Malta grapples with rising costs of living and housing pressures that echo both 1929 and 2019, Cauchi’s documentary serves as both warning and comfort. The message is clear: Malta has weathered economic storms before, and Maltese communities have always found ways to support each other through the darkest periods.

In the film’s closing scene, 92-year-old Karmenu Borg from Birżebbuġa, who lived through both Black Mondays, addresses the camera directly: “We survived by looking after each other. That’s the real Maltese economy—it’s not in the finance reports or tourism numbers. It’s in the neighbor who brings you rabbit stew when work is scarce, or the cousin who offers you a room when rent becomes impossible.”

As audiences emerge from the Embassy Cinema into Valletta’s golden evening light, many are wiping away tears—not just for the past, but for the recognition that Maltese resilience remains alive and well. In chronicling two of Malta’s darkest economic days, “Two Black Mondays” has somehow captured the indomitable spirit that defines these limestone islands, proving that while markets may crash, Maltese community endures.