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The 17th Odesa International Film Festival (27 August – 4 September, Kyiv) will present the Focus on Georgia programme, bringing together five films by different generations of Georgian filmmakers.
The films in the Focus on Georgia programme explore diverse cinematic languages and historical layers—from an urban story of women's emancipation in 1970s Tbilisi to reflections on legacy, loss, and the trauma caused by wars and political upheavals. The protagonists return to their past, seek to restore broken connections, and reconsider the meaning of home.
Several Interviews on Personal Matters (1978, USSR), directed by Lana Gogoberidze
Journalist Sophiko meets dozens of people every day, listens to their stories, and writes about the lives of ordinary women. She loves her work but increasingly finds herself confronted by a society that expects her, above all, to fulfil the roles of wife and mother. Set against the backdrop of Tbilisi, the film tells a story of personal freedom, professional ambition, and the search for balance between career and family life. The leading role is performed by Sofiko Chiaureli, renowned for her collaborations with Sergei Parajanov.
Mother and Daughter, or the Night Is Never Complete (2023, Georgia / France), directed by Lana Gogoberidze
Lana Gogoberidze's autobiographical documentary is dedicated to her mother, Nutsa Gogoberidze—Georgia's first female film director and one of the first women directors in the Soviet Union. Through personal memories, archival materials, and excerpts from her own films, Gogoberidze tells the story of a family torn apart by Stalinist repression. The film traces a journey from childhood trauma and a decade-long separation to the restoration of a cinematic legacy, as Nutsa's films, believed lost for decades, were finally rediscovered.
Nandauri (2025, Israel / Georgia / Italy), directed by Eti Tsiko
The arrival of Marina, an Israeli lawyer, in a small snow-covered Georgian village disrupts the community's familiar rhythm of life. She represents Nino, who left the country eleven years earlier and has now returned to reclaim custody of her son. To achieve this, Marina must seek the help of Nino's brother, who has raised the boy all these years. The journey of two strangers gradually unfolds into a story of reconciliation, family resentment, and confronting the past.
The Kartli Kingdom (2025, France / Georgia), directed by Tamar Kalandadze and Julien Pebrel
The name “Kartli” refers not only to the historic Georgian kingdom but also to a sanatorium in Tbilisi that has served as home to refugees from Abkhazia for more than three decades. What was once intended as temporary shelter has evolved into a world of its own, with gardens, terraces, and its own rules. Through the stories of its residents, the film explores exile, collective memory, and the human capacity to build new lives amid the ruins.
The Real Beings (2025, Georgia), directed by Vakhtang Jajanidze
Two families meet while staying at a lakeside country house and gradually grow closer. As the adults become increasingly absorbed in their own plans and desires, drifting away from their children, seven-year-old Bebe longs for affection and attention. The girl finds herself at the centre of tragic events. The film explores the fragility of human relationships and how a single moment can alter the lives of several people forever.
The programme has been organised with the support of the Petrovsky Family and the Oleksandr Petrovsky International Charitable Foundation.
Festival passes for the 17th Odesa International Film Festival are available via the link: https://new.oiff.com.ua/en/choose-your-pass-2026