Classic early Georgian cinema in focus of month-long Tbilisi screenings, talks

Pioneering films produced by early directors of the 1920s and 1930s Georgian scene will be the centre of a month-long series of screenings, talks and a book presentation in Tbilisi, starting this Saturday.

Works by avant-garde filmmakers of the creatively vibrant decades, from the silent My Grandmother by Kote Mikaberidze to Kote Marjanishvili's Stefan Zweig novella-based Amok, will be on the big screen for retrospectives involving film critics Irakli Makharadze, Lela Ochiauri, Nino Mkheidze and Teo Khatiashvili, with the National Archives of Georgia and the Amirani Cinema Theatre hosting viewers.

The selection will involve over 20 films by directors now credited as pioneers of the professional Georgian cinema, and recognised for their experimental and foundational efforts in developing the scene in its early years. Names ranging from Nikoloz Shengelaia, with his 1928 Eliso, to Ivane Perestiani, whose film Arsena Jorjiashvili marks the centenary since its production this year, will be brought forward in the celebration.

The latter's showing will close the screenings section with a live performance of a musical score created by composer Nika Pasuri for the film. The piece will be performed live by students of the Tbilisi State Conservatoire during the screening.

A still from 'My Grandmother', a 1929 silent work by director Kote Mikaberidze. Photo via National Archives of Georgia.

Before the series of screenings are launched, the programme will open with a presentation of the book entitled The Georgian Cinema of the 1920s, coming from editors Nino Mkheidze and Archil Shubashvili, and bringing together photographic and archival material as well as articles and filmography of the film professionals of the Georgian scene of the decade.

• See stills from classic early Georgian films in an online display Georgian Cinema of the 1920s, first launched during the 2020 Kolga Tbilisi Photo festival

A parallel series of public talks will accompany the programme with historians, art critics and artists involved in discussing subjects around the topic of the country's cinematography in the two decades of the past century. These talks will see Irakli Khvadagiani, Lasha Bakradze, Levan Kalandarishvili, Shota Iatashvili and Nana Kipiani offer their insights at the National Archives venue.

The initiative comes as part of the joint initiative involving the Georgian National Film Centre and the culture ministry, and offering retrospectives of the Georgian cinema over each of the decades of the past century in the coming years. The current year marks the launch of the project with its focus on the 1920s and 1930s.

It is also a part of the GNFC's focus over the recent years on safeguarding and showcasing the history of the local filmmaking scene, including through the ongoing process of bringing back classic works by Georgian directors to the country from their vaults in Moscow's massive Gosfilmofond archives. The effort has so far resulted in a return of 51 productions out of over 500 preserved in the Russian capital.

Organised by the GNFC and partnered by the archival venue and the Tbilisi State Conservatoire, the programme Georgian Cinema. 1920-1930 will run at the National Archives of Georgia, located in the corner of Vazha-Pshavela Avenue and Pekini Street in Tbilisi, between November 20-December 20.