Georgian cinema of the 20th century impressed the whole world with its original language, originality. Georgian directors have always been revealingly artistic, creatively colorful. Each director has his own unique creative style; their work is not stencilled, it is a piece product. Behind every feature film is an autobiographical essay, the fate of the creator. More than one generation of filmmakers is studying at the works of Sergey Parajanov, Tengiz Abuladze, Otar Ioseliani. Georgian cinema in the USSR was rightly considered elitist, sophisticated.
Masters of the origin of the genre
The emergence of Georgian cinema is considered to be the 20s of the last century. Before the revolution, officially approved documentary chronicles and extras for pseudo-historical paintings, for example, “Conquest of the Caucasus”, which had nothing to do with national history or culture, were filmed in the country.
Since 1928 and for the next four years, a galaxy of young filmmakers has been creating original paintings in style and form: “My Grandmother” K. Mikaberidze, “Eliso” N. Shengelaya, “Ha Barda” M. Chiaureli and “Salt of Svaneti” M. Kalatozishvili . Under the conditions of severe censorship, many projects of Georgian directors are not released, among them the tape “M. A nail in a boot” by M. Kalatozishvili. For 27 years, the director has directed the movie “Cranes are Flying”, which will be awarded the main prize of the Cannes Film Festival.
Directors of the 30-40s
The trends in the development of Georgian cinema of the 30-40s were determined by Soviet ideology, all projects strictly corresponded to the spirit of socialist realism. Many of the paintings were openly propaganda in nature, for example, the works of M. Chiaureli “The Great Glow”, “Unforgettable 1919”, “Arsen”, “The Fall of Berlin”, “Oath”.
In parallel with serious film production, Georgian directors shot comedy films, among the vivid examples of “The Dowry of Jujuna” by S. Palavandishvili and D. Kikabidze, “Lost Paradise” by D. Rondeli, “Keto and Kote” by V. Tabliashvili and Sh. Gedevanishvili.
During the bloody Great Patriotic War, the release of paintings, of course, declined. An exception may be the film “George Saakadze” created by the order of Stalin himself by Georgian Soviet director Mikhail Chiaureli.
Renaissance filmmakers
The 50s of the last century were marked by the revival of Georgian cinema, the emergence of a new generation of directors. On the basis of the Goskinoprom, the national film studio Georgia-Film is being created, where prominent Georgian directors created. The stage masterpiece of this time is considered the work of R. Chkheidze and T. Abuladze “Lurja Magdana”. The picture was the first in a long time to receive recognition at the major Western Cannes film festival. In this film, as in the subsequent project Abuladze, the influence of Italian neorealism is felt.
The heroic drama Father of the Soldier, directed by Rezo Chkheidze, is no less artistic.
Directors of the 60-70s
In the 60-70s, the list of Georgian directors was replenished with a new wave of gifted filmmakers. This is the period of activity of the outstanding directors of the Shengelai brothers, M. Kokochashvili and O. Ioseliani. The work of Georgian filmmakers of this time favorably differed from the rest of Soviet film production. They tried to avoid open propaganda, while striving to touch upon social and moral problems relevant to that era. An allegorical form has taken root in the Georgian national film industry. According to domestic film experts, the Listopad films by O. Ioseliani, the White Caravan E. Shengelaya and T. Meliava, Alaverdoba G. Shengelaya, and the Big Green Valley by M. Kokochashvili contained hidden criticism of pressing social problems.
In the 60s, film director M. Kobakhidze, literally rethinking silent films, determined the basis for the production of famous Georgian short films. His followers in the 70s released a series of unsurpassed comedic paintings, including “Record” by G. Pataray, “Feola” B. Tsuladze, “Pitcher” I. Kvirikadze.
The multiseries feature film by the duet Gig Lordkipanidze and Gizo Gabeskiriya “Date Tutashkhia” was very popular with the audience.
Authors of imperishable classics
Tape “Desire Tree”, “I, Grandmother, Iliko and Illarion” by Tengiz Abuladze, “Do not Cry!” George Danelia, “There lived a song thrush” by Otar Ioseliani amaze with the beauty of the visual series. This is truly a contemplative movie. But the films are beautiful not only visually, the directing of the great directors is simply mesmerizing.
During this period, the legendary film of the Soviet, Georgian and Russian director George Danelia "Mimino" was released. The tragicomedy, the genre of which is often defined as a half-tip by domestic critics, was scripted by Rezo Gabriadze and Victoria Tokareva. Like Kin-Dza-Dza! the picture has long and carefully been taken away by the people into quotes, which is a significant measure of the success of any film. Many contemporary filmmakers have positioned Danelia’s work as a visiting card of Soviet Georgia at all times, not only in cinematic, but also in musical terms.
Masters of the 80-90s
Many film works of famous Georgian directors created at the turn of the 80-90s. regarded as an artistic prelude to the inevitable collapse of the communist system, for example, the “Blue Mountains” by Eldar Shengelaya and “Repentance” by Tengiz Abuladze.
The Blue Mountains, or an implausible story, released in 1983, contains a clear satire of bureaucracy in most Soviet organizations. And in “Penance” (1984) reminds the public the main spiritual guidelines.
Noteworthy is the work of Sergei Parajanov and Dodo Abashidze "The Legend of the Suram Fortress."
Modern generation
If until the 90s Georgian cinema developed in accordance with the general atmosphere that prevailed in the vast expanses of the USSR, then after its collapse, it became part of the global film industry. A constellation of talented young directors, brought up on an unprecedented cinematic base, ensure the integration of national cinema in the world film production system.
The work of Gela Babluani “13” is considered a very interesting picture, although the film was shot not in Georgia, but in the USA and France. Critics call the project a non-Georgian film, shot by a Georgian director. Of the paintings created directly in Georgia, the “Season” tape by David Borchkhadze stands out.