Georgian Culture Days

The Embassy of Georgia in the Federal Republic of Germany is presenting a selection of Georgian film classics at Arsenal from May 23rd through 26th. The season is part of the Georgian Culture Days 2011 which is hosted by the Georgian Embassy in Berlin and presents Georgian culture. There will be an exhibition of contemporary Georgian art at the Galerie Georgia Berlin in Charlottenburg, as well as different documentary film evenings and readings by writers at the Georgian Embassy. The Culture Days will close with celebrations for Georgia's national holiday on May 26th.

The history of Georgian cinema goes back to just before the First World War. In the 1920s, a well-organized state-funded film industry arose that in the 80s made up to eight feature films a year, as well as a range of documentary and animation films. Georgian film is deemed to be creative and original and many directors have won international competition and festival awards. Georgian films came under pressure from the censor during Soviet times because of the critical content. Alongside some early masterpieces of silent cinema, which will be accompanied live on the piano by Georgian composer Nika Memanishvili, who is also the music director of the Georgian State Orchestra, the program includes films from the 50s and 70s.