Ever wondered what’s happening in Georgian cinema these days? Well, now you have the chance to find out. Werkstatt der Kulturen is hosting a 12-week Georgian Film Festival, curated by Dr. Lily Fürstenow-Khositashvili, showcasing a diverse lineup of recent feature, documentary and experimental films from the country. (Screenings take place every Thursday night until May 26.)
Watch out for films like Salt White (April 7), an unassuming portrait of a woman making ends meet at a beach resort that has something poignant to say about companionship and how people relate to each other. The economic hardship the characters labour under is also effectively reflected in their emotional state. Or Three Houses (April 14), in which three periods of Georgian history are linked to and contrasted against one another via a painting, while the changing sensibilities of the times are subtly underscored. Then there’s Berlin-based Zaza Rusadze’s family drama A Fold in My Blanket (April 21). Set in a provincial town in the near future, the journey of a young man working with his father explores the boundaries between dreams and waking life.
Movies don’t just tell stories but also inform us of the cinematic vocabulary and the cultural context of their origin. So whether you’re already well-versed in Georgian film history or not, take that journey, be surprised, discover. Check website for details.
GEORGISCHE FILMREIHE, through May 26 | Werkstatt der Kulturen, Wissmannstraße 32, Neukölln, U-Bhf Hermannplatz
