Giorgobistve

In his debut film, Otar Iosseliani tells a story of the conflict between ancient Georgian winegrowing traditions and their state-run, modernized equivalent. The harmonic way in which life unfolds for the traditional winegrowers is captured in documentary images, which alternate with the film’s narrative chapters, which focus on how those living in the city are alienated from their work and themselves in equal measure. The young Niko is still full of joie de vivre and hasn’t lost touch with true vales. When the head of the winery demands that a wine that has not yet reached maturity be bottled anyway, he follows his conscience and takes a decision based on his own sense of responsibility. Iosseliani reveals his political stance towards the Sovietization of a Georgian way of life that is rich in tradition and the result of centuries of wisdom in impressive fashion by combining two audio tracks in one key scene: as an older colleague tries to convince Niko to give in, a song about fulfilling the state plan composed in the Russian folk style blares from a loudspeaker. (nf/gv)