Georgian cinema studios, national body make films available online
Cinematographer Giorgi Shvelidze won the American Society of Cinematographers Spotlight Award for his work on the 2017 feature 'Namme' by late filmmaker Zaza Khalvashi. Photo via Asian Movie Pulse.
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Cinema production studios and the Georgian National Film Centre have made over a dozen contemporary films available for viewing for free online, in a move aimed at cheering up those in social isolation from COVID-19 risks.
Earlier this week the Tbilisi-based 20 Steps studio opened up its roster of shorts for viewing online. Now the initiative has also been joined by individual filmmakers and the national cinema agency.
The latter collaborated with directors of a range of recently released feature, animated and short works including Georgia's 2019 Academy Award bid Namme from late director Zaza Khalvashi and award-winning features Moira (Levan Tutberidze) and Listen to the Silence (Mariam Chachia).
Combined with the 20 Steps studio's earlier line-up, the films currently available for viewing include:
- Bad People (2019), directed by Giorgi Tavartkiladze
- Dinola (2013), directed by Mariam Khatchvani
- Moira (2015), directed by Levan Tutberidze
- Listen to the Silence (2016), directed by Mariam Chachia
- Line of Credit (2014), directed by Salomé Alexi
- I'm Beso (2014), directed by Lasha Tskvitinidze
- Gabana (2018), directed by Giga Baindurashvili
- Salt White (2011), directed by Keti Machavariani
- Particulier à particulier (2013), directed by George Varsimashvili (French language)
- Pig (2019), directed by Giga Liklikadze
- Li.le (2017), directed by Natia Nikolashvili
- Jara (2017), directed by Nika Tsiklauri
- Cradle of Wine (2010), directed by Merab Kokochashvili
- Geno (2016), directed by Dato Kiknavelidze
Scheduled to be made available in the coming days:
- Namme (2017), directed by Zaza Khalvashi (scheduled for March 28 at 7pm Georgian local time)
- Parade (2019), directed by Nino Zhvania (scheduled for March 29 at 7pm Georgian local time)
Some of the links for viewing will only be open throughout one day, while others have been made available for a longer period of time.
The move by cinema studios and directors follows decisions over the recent weeks by museum venues and theatre troupes to provide their content to audiences on the web during the COVID-19 crisis.
As the new coronavirus outbreak continues to spread across the world and cultural venues in Georgia remain in shutdown along with other public institutions, the Art Palace museum is offering those staying at home a YouTube recording of a tour of the iconic Tbilisi space.
Cinephiles staying at home as a safety measure from the new coronavirus can make their isolation more entertaining through a newly available selection of short films, made viewable online by 20 Steps production studio.
With theatres across the world closed and stage art enthusiasts staying at home due to the coronavirus, the Tbilisi Youth Theatre has made a move to celebrate World Children's Theatre Day by bringing its productions to viewers in digital form.
While exhibition spaces and cultural institutions shut down across Georgia over the last week as a measure against the new coronavirus, the Georgian National Museum has made available digital tours of its collections to museum-goers staying at home.
Two more individuals have recovered from the new coronavirus in Georgia out of the 90 confirmed cases in the country, increasing the number of recovered individuals to sixteen.
Over two dozen short films by Georgian directors will be made available for viewing free on the web throughout May 26, to mark the country's Independence Day.
The Georgian National Film Centre will complete and release late filmmaker Soso Chkhaidze's Shvidkatsa, a fictional TV series exploring western Georgia's polyphonic singing heritage, four decades after the director started working on its episodes.
The Georgian National Film Centre needs "institutional and financial strengthening" on its 20th anniversary and there are no grounds for criticism about it having exhausted its potential, Director Gaga Chkheidze has said in a social media message underscoring the importance of the state cinema body.