Nino Kirtatdze’s retrospective films screen in US

A selection of documentary films by a Georgian filmmaker about Georgia, Russia, and the relationship between these two nations will be presented in the United States this month.

The on-screen pieces by Nino Kirtadze will feature at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive from April 9 to 11.

The Visual Arts Centre of the University of California, Berkeley, will presents five documentary films, including award winning Durakovo: Village of Fools, which is described as an eye-opening documentary shot on the grounds of Durakovo, a "rehabilitation” center outside Moscow. In this film Kirtadze’s portrayal of life at Durakovo is an allegory for where Russian leadership is believed to be heading today. 

Kirtadze was born in Tbilisi but has been based in France for many years, and has established a distinguished career as an actor and documentary filmmaker.

During her career Kirtadze has narrated issues of great importance to her homeland Georgia, such as the 2008 Russia-Georgia war in Something about Georgia and the development of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline in The Pipeline Next Door.

In the latter film Kirtadze’s work captures the negotiations, breakdowns, heartbreak, and anger surrounding BP’s purchase of Georgian countryside to construct a 1,700km pipeline from Kazakhstan to the Black Sea.

In Tell My Friends That I’m Dead she highlighted the unique and special traditions of the Georgian population regarding death. This film was noted as one of her most astounding creations as it gave an intimate look at western Georgia’s elaborate mourning rituals.

Kirtadze’s most recent documentary Don’t Breathe offers an intimate portrayal of a patient’s response to a medical diagnosis. Those in the film were so natural that viewers could be fooled into thinking they were professional actors.

Film critic Michael Guillen will join Kirtadze and discuss her work following screenings on April 9 and 10 at the US Museum.

Guillen is a freelance film journalist known for his thorough reviews and interviews on The Evening Class blog and for his contributions to Film International, movieScope, Fandor, MUBI, GreenCine and Twitch.

Something about Georgia by Nino Kirtadze