National Archives to unveil cinema theatre for screenings

Visitors of the National Archives of Georgia will be able to enjoy the venue’s rich collection of documentary films and reels in a brand-new cinema hall currently in the planning stage.

Tbilisi’s central archive venue hosted screenings of thematic reels in its cinema hall from the 1970s to early 1990s but the theatre has not served the same purpose since due to technical challenges.

Now the public agency has revealed plans for a 170-seat theatre equipped with the the "newest equipment” and access for individuals with disabilities.

The archive boasts the largest collection of documentary films in Georgia. Photo: National Archives of Georgia.

Planned to be located next to the archive’s recently unveiled gallery space, the theatre will receive equipment supporting three-dimensional screenings and projection tech, enabling the highest quality screening of productions shot on film reels.

The audio system of the hall will also feature top-of-the-line devices for ensuring the quality of screening sessions held within the new space.

A National Archives release said the opening of the theatre — within a yet unspecified timeframe — would enable the venue to host festivals for screening its archived films.

Organisers of the project also expect the cinema hall to serve upcoming filmmakers by holding screenings for their graduation works and debut projects.

The cinema hall is expected to be opened adjacent to the recently unveiled exhibition space of the archive. Photo: National Archives of Georgia.

With over 5,200 films and 3,100 reels, the National Archives boasts the largest collection of documentary productions in Georgia.

The collection also includes more than 1,000 TV features as well as fiction and animation films.

The cinema theatre project follows a number of recent initiatives for opening new National Archives spaces across Georgia.

The initiatives include the unveiling of regional archive branches in the cities of Rustavi, Telavi and Zugdidi, as well as the fresh exhibition gallery in capital Tbilisi.

Currently an archive building construction is also ongoing in the central Georgian city of Kutaisi.