’Scary Mother’, ’Dede’ in Beijing Film Fest award shortlist
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Two award-winning films by Georgian directors will be in contention for a major prize at this year’s Beijing International Film Festival, with Ana Urushadze's Scary Mother and Mariam Khatchvani’s Dede shortlisted.
The two features will run for the Tiantan Awards among 13 other works from notable directors including Aki Kaurismaeki and Kim Nguyen.
Selected from nearly 660 submissions, the shortlist will be reviewed by a jury chaired by filmmaker Wong Kar-wai and involving Rob Cohen, Duan Yihong, Jan Kaczmarek, Calin Peter Netzer, Ruben Oestlund and Shu Qi.
The selection of Dede follows prizes claimed by the film at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) and the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival last year.
Khatchvani’s feature follows Dina, a young woman in Georgia’s remote, mountainous Svaneti province. Her grandfather has agreed Dina to be married to a young man coming back to the village from war, however she falls in love with another warrior returning from the conflict.
For Urushadze, the shortlisting of Scary Mother comes after awards at the Locarno International Film Festival and the Sarajevo Film Festival in 2017. The film was also a prize-winner at last year’s APSA ceremony along with Dede.
A still from 'Dede' by Mariam Khatchvani. Photo: 20 Steps Productions.
The feature centres around a Georgian housewife who finally takes up her dream of writing, years after initially shelving the idea in favour of taking care of household work.
As the protagonist of the story begins reading her first published book to family members, she realises her fears of negative reception from relatives are becoming a reality.
The Georgian representation at the Beijing event will also include a screening of celebrated director Eldar Shengelaia’s latest work The Chair, in the Panorama section.
Marking its 8th edition, the festival will run between April 15-22. Since its launch in 2011 the event has hosted directors, actors and industry figures from Hollywood at its annual ceremonies.
Award-winning feature film Dede by Georgian filmmaker Mariam Khatchvani has been announced as the Grand Prix winning entry of the Cannes Film Meetings competition, finishing ahead of prized competition last weekend.
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