Republic of GEORGIA celebrates 100 years of Filmmaking
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This year, marks 100 years of rich cinema history in Georgia, the 100 year anniversary of Georgian cinema.
To celebrate the 100th anniversary, originally several exhibitions, festive events and showings of Georgian silent films were planned, but due to current upheaval, Russian invasion and war in the country, the schedule has been jeopardized by more vital issues in a country striving for its independance.
Almost bereft of archives, many films have been destroyed.
The first full-length (60 minutes) documentary film "Akaki Tsereteli ", only has 20 minutes left.
Georgian film production started almost same time as European cinema. The first film festival took place in Tbilisi in 1896.
In recent periods, there has been a revival of Georgian filmmaking. The 100 anniversary coincides with the 60 year anniversary of a well-known Georgian film 'Keto and Kote' by Vakhtang Tabliashvili and Shalva Gedevanishvili.
Since the year 1908, recognized as the official date cinema was born in Georgia, pioneer film directors Dighmelov and Amashukeli made their first experimental shots. In 1912, Amashukeli shot the first full-length documentary movie, Akakis Mogzauroba [Akaki's Journey], about the poet Akaki Tsereteli.
The film stood out on a universal level in terms of plot, length and artistic level.
In 1916, 'Kristine', the first feature film was made in 1916 to 1918. directed by Aleksandre Tsutsunava, followed in 1924 by "Three Lives" by Perestiani which was strongly welcomed by the Georgian public due to its depth and insight into the leading characters.
During the mid 1920s, theatre, literature and art professionals were include in films with Samanishvili's Stepmother (Marjanishvili) and Khanuma (Tsutsunava), introducing a new genre of comedy.
Popular Georgian film star, Nato Vachnadze was the first hit star (The Story of Tariel Mklavadze, Who can Be Blamed), and Silver Screen Diva.
Stalin's epoch produced a completely new style in filmmaking : search for innovation and artistic expressions: N. Shengelaias.
Starting from 1921, Georgian cinema under constraint, tried to artistically portray the truth. The film directors often had to supply symbols and metaphors, parables and allegories. None of the best Georgian filmmakers ever shot any pro-Communist films. This special type of filmmaking was particularly prevalent during the 1970's.
Gradually the phenomenon of excellence in style and the distinguishable quality of Georgian films was recognized at foreign film festivals and international forums where their high professional skill and civic courage was praised and Georgian cinema emerged as a full-fledged member of the world cinematography.
Georgian award-winning films added credit to Soviet filmmaking.
1972 was a remarkable year in the history of Georgian cinematography. The Faculty of Cinema opened in the Tbilisi Shota Rustaveli Institute of Theatre, later renamed the Institute of Theatre and Film.
While romantic moods and poetic outlook were the prominant characteristic features of filmmakers during the 60s and 70s, dramatic interpretation of contemporary problems and characters, in many cases, naturalistic aesthetic solutions of the film language began to prevail.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Georgia experienced serious economic and political crisis, affecting the film industry as well. Technicians and artists were fired, studios and cinemas shut down or just stopped operating.
Presently, the Georgian government is trying to support the Georgian film industry. It has restored many films and the Building of the J.S.C. Georgian Film, which is partly a Government organization, has been reconstructed according to modern standards and supplied with production and post-production equipment.
The Georgian Government has adopted a law to encourage state financial support for national productions. In 2001-2002, a new structural unit, the "Georgian Film Center" was created. Presently, state resources alloted to finance the Georgian Film Industry has been fully transferred to the "Film Center", conducting open competitions to get funding for full-length, documentary and animated films, as well as for scriptwriting and project development.
