Georgian film project selected for eastern Europe's CEE Animation Workshop

The work-in-progress feature is based on an allegorical story by late author Jemal Karchkhadze, now taught in primary school classes for Georgian literature. Image: CEE Animation Workshop.

Agenda.ge, 14 Oct 2019 - 18:21, Tbilisi,Georgia

An animation project based on a short story by acclaimed late Georgian author Jemal Karchkhadze has been selected among a dozen submissions from across Europe to be developed at a series of workshops in Slovenia, Estonia and the Czech Republic.

Coming from filmmaker Natia Nikolashvili and producer Vladimer Katcharava, Igi is a work-in-progress feature picked for the CEE Animation Workshop, a year-long programme for cinema professionals.

Selected alongside European projects ranging from Portugal to Greece, the work will benefit from the programme that involves everything from script and design development to production planning and promotion.

The programme is structured as a combination of group work, lectures, masterclasses, panels and case studies" - CEE Animation

Its three workshops will be held in November this year as well as March and May 2020, with longer-term follow-up networking and market events in Europe following the three professional dates.

Artwork from the animation project for 'Igi'. Image: 20 Steps Productions.

Nikolashvili is basing her work around Karchkhadze's 1977-published short story of the same name, widely recognised as one of his finest pieces and included in Georgian primary school textbooks for literature.

The allegorical story follows a protagonist in prehistoric society, with the principal character on a path of individual development and curiosity towards the world.

This story may seem distant and old, but for me it is much more relevant fo nowadays than any modern story" - filmmaker Natia Nikolashvili

His standout character and willingness to separate from "groupthink" is marked visually through his straight-up stance, which is expected to be reflected in the animation project as well.

The story was marked for its subject matter of personal development and free thinking on the backdrop of limited political expression in the Soviet years, cementing Karchkhadze's place among authors of contemporary Georgian literature.

The animated project for Igi, utilising two-dimensional artistic format, is being created at Tbilisi-based 20 Steps Productions studio.