11 unique Georgian film rolls return home from Russian archives
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Eleven film tapes representing Georgia's cinematic heritage are now back in the country following a deal with Russia that will see hundreds of 20th Century films from archives in Russia be returned home.
These films were created in between 1925 and 1975, and are being returned home after more than 20 years of talks between Georgia and Russia.
Georgia's Culture Minister Mikheil Giorgadze hosted a special reception on the occasion of returning unique Georgian films to their homeland. Photo by Georgia's Culture Ministry
Today's ceremony marks the handover of the films:
- The Marriage, Umbrella and Musicians by director Mikheil Kobakhidze;
- Peola by Baadur Tsuladze;
- The Nuts (Sherekilebi) by Eldar Shengelaia;
- Flying Painter by Leo Esakia;
- Kadjeti by Kote Mikaberidze;
- Who is Guilty? By Alexandre Tsutsunava;
- Amoki and Sanamishvili’s Mother-in-Law by Kote Marjanishvili
- Eliso by Nikoloz Shengelaia.
Hundreds of original Georgian films produced in the Soviet era were being held by Gosfilmofond - the State Film Fund of Russia. Following the deal signed in 2014, the first batch of film tapes returned to their homeland last year.
The complete deal involves hundreds of Georgian films created over seven decades of Soviet rule in Georgia from 1921-1991 including 381 Georgian feature films, 200 animated and 100 documentary films.
Some of the most unique documentary footage illustrating the contemporary history of Georgia is being restored and preserved under a large-scale state project, before the first modern film archive is built in the country to house the material.
The first batch of film tapes representing Georgia's cinematic heritage are now back in the country following a deal with Russia that will see hundreds of 20th Century films from archives in Russia be returned home and stored in modern repositories in Tbilisi.
After more than 20 years of talks, in the coming weeks Russia will begin transferring old Georgian films created between 1916 and 1990 back to the homeland, announced Georgia’s Special Envoy to Russia Zurab Abashidze.
Hundreds of old film tapes digitalised in modern archive
Famous Georgian cinema classics and rare film footage languishing in archives across capital Tbilisi are being moved to a modern home and being preserved in digital form for future generations to enjoy.
Georgian film professionals have discovered unfinished material of author, screenwriter and film director Goderdzi Chokheli’s 1993 project Wolf in vaults of the Georgian Film studio in Tbilisi.
Some of the most acclaimed films from Georgia’s cinema heritage are being returned to the country’s vaults from Russia in the latest phase of a historic process.
Award-winning Georgian film director Giorgi Danelia, also known for his work as screenwriter and actor, died in Moscow on Thursday after months of illness, local media reported.
Over a dozen classic Georgian films from the 1920s - including a work previously thought lost - are set to be returned to the country as a state initiative on bringing back rolls of pioneering cinema from Russian archives continues.