Jericho Dominion and Valletta Pictures have announced that Tyler Gallant (Maserati: The Brothers, Turnbuckle, Bring The Law) will take on the role of Francis Battista in Nativity, a new crime thriller written and directed by Joshua Cassar Gaspar.Inspired by the mysterious disappearance of Caravaggio’s masterpiece The Nativity with St. Francis and St. Lawrence, one of the most infamous unsolved art thefts in history, the film presents an original, character-driven story set against the backdrop of the art world and organised crime.
The film follows Francis Battista (Gallant), a washed-up boxer turned low-level criminal desperate to regain custody of his daughter. When Caravaggio's long-lost masterpiece resurfaces in the criminal underworld, Francis accepts one final job in the hope of rebuilding his life. Instead, he is drawn into a dangerous world of organised crime, deception and an international investigation that forces him to confront the choices that destroyed his family.
Blending the tension and atmosphere of a Los Angeles crime thriller with a distinctly European cinematic sensibility, Nativity explores themes of identity, regret, family and the possibility of redemption.
The film is produced by Joshua Cassar Gaspar, Alon Michael Hattingh and Aaron Barnett, with support from Arts Council Malta. Cinematographer Daniel Cawthorne and composer Elton Zarb return to collaborate with Gaspar.
Nativity marks Gaspar's second feature and the second chapter in a planned trilogy of standalone crime thrillers inspired by Caravaggio's paintings. His directorial debut, The Theft of the Caravaggio, premiered in competition at the Mediterrane Film Festival in 2025. His work spans feature filmmaking, commercial directing and international productions, including collaborations with Formula One champion Kimi Räikkönen and football star Lionel Messi.
Production is scheduled to begin in January 2027 in Malta. Gallant is managed by Mark Holder at Wonder Street Entertainment.
