Ocean-set Styx filmed off coast of Malta

“We filmed near Malta and it was the worst autumn in a decade,” says Fischer.

“There was nothing but hurricane winds. Then we sailed for 16 hours between Malta and Sicily in one go and really truly told the story while we were sailing. This was ultimately the most important decision.

“The project succeeded because we all subjected ourselves to this world. It was like making a documentary. There were eight people on the boat and everyone had to hide in order not to show up in the film.”

For scenes where Rike is caught in a storm, Fischer and his team shot at Malta’s water tank facilities.

“The storm scenes were the only part we shot in a tank in Malta, with frightfully loud wave machines and water cannons that hurled 600 litres of water onto the boat,” Fischer says.

Malta is a popular filming location for ocean-set productions. Recent drama series Das Boot filmed off the coast and in the water tanks, while James Marsh’s true-life feature The Mercy also shot in the region, doubling Maltese coastal waters for the Atlantic.

See KFTV's production guide for more on filming in Malta.

Image: 606 Distribution