Two weekends of Georgian cinema to screen at Croatia's Cinema Club Split

Two weekends of screenings will bring a selection of classic and new Georgian cinema to viewers at Cinema Club Split, in western Croatia's Mediterranean city, starting next Friday.

Six works by Georgian directors, from 1960s abstract shorts by celebrated filmmaker of the genre Mikheil Kobakhidze, to the cinema of the new independent Georgia, will be "free and open to the public", organisers of the programme said.

Picking both the Soviet-era works with Georgian directorial vision, and films illustrating a "stunning period of renaissance" (screening organisers) following the politically, socially and economically tumultuous 1990s in the country.

This is a unique opportunity to see short and feature films by renowned Georgian directors on the big screen."

Georgian film is certainly [...] a mixture of grotesque satire and fascinating landscapes that make both the country’s film history and its contemporary cinematography so popular." - summary for the programme

The first day of screenings will see Kobakhidze's 1964 short Wedding join Alaverdoba, a feature directed by Giorgi Shengelaia - one of the prominent names of the Soviet Georgian film scene - in the same era.

The November 6 pairing will be followed by two more works the next day, with 1967 Umbrella by Kobakhidze and Namme - a work by late director Zaza Khalvashi, selected as Georgia's Academy Award bid in 2019 - entering the programme.

On the third and final day on December 13, another short by Kobakhidze, the 1969 Musicians, will be shown to viewers along with Three Houses (2008) by the late award-winning filmmaker Zaza Urushadze.

Films for the Georgian programme were selected by director and producer Levan Lomjaria, and will come to Cinema Club Split via efforts by the Georgian National Film Centre. Further details on the programme can be viewed on the official website of the venue.