“Art is politics“: inside the fight for the future of Georgian film

Recent months have seen widespread protests and police crackdowns in Georgia. Dissatisfaction with the ruling Georgian Dream party has consolidated around opposition to new legislation – the so-called ‘foreign agents law’ – that makes it harder for civil society groups and cultural bodies to access international funding. Opponents argue that the law is modelled on similar legislation in Putin’s Russia and is a sign of Georgian Dream’s increasing inclination towards Moscow in the face of public preference for more European integration. 

In this ongoing conflict, cinema plays an important role. Georgian Dream has clamped down on independent cinema, appointing loyalists to run the Georgian National Film Centre, the state funding body. As a result, Georgian film has been split, with many film professionals boycotting the National Film Centre, and a wave of new, independent organisations forming in an attempt to regain control of the soul of Georgian cinema. 

In this episode of the Klassiki Podcast, host Sam Goff speaks with two representatives of this “film movement”: Keti Machavariani, from the newly-formed Georgian Film Institute, and Keto Kipiani, from the Documentary Association of Georgia. They explain the situation on the ground for filmmakers and how the film world relates to the wider protest movement fighting for Georgia’s future. 

Klassiki subscribers can explore our collection of Georgian titles here.

Listen above or head to your favourite podcast app to subscribe now. The Klassiki Podcast is available on all major podcasting platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube, Audible, and more.

Intro music by Juliet Merchant. Cover image by Jelger Groeneveld.