07-07-2021

PRODUCTION: Luka Beradze In Postproduction with Georgian/German Documentary Smiling Georgia

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    Smiling Georgia by Luka Berdadze Smiling Georgia by Luka Berdadze

    TBILISI: The Georgian director Luka Berdadze has begun postproduction on the feature documentary Smiling Georgia, which he shot from October 2019 to November 2020 in Georgia. Additional scenes are scheduled to be shot in the summer of 2021. The film is a Georgian/German coproduction.

    The elderly population of a village of “No Name” was left toothless as a result of a failed 2012 pre-election campaign “Smiling Georgia”. The documentary looks at whether the villagers' lives change as the cycle repeats and new promises and guarantees are made to them in sight of the approaching elections of 2020.

    The film is produced by 1991 Productions in coproduction with Georgia’s Enkeny Films and Germany’s Color of May. The project was supported by the Georgian National Film Center with 13,000 EUR / 42,000 GEL in 2019 and received support from Cut Thru Noise Award at East Doc Platform (2021), Color of May (funding from NRW 2021) and Enkeny Films (investment). The total budget is 92,000 EUR.

    The producers are Nino Chichua and Anna Khazaradze (1991 Productions), and the coproducers are Eva Blondiau (Color of May), Sophio Bendiashvili and Bacho Meburishvili (Enkeny Films).

    "There is a lot of originality in the subject matter of the film - the unbelievable story that unfolds before our eyes is something that seems extremely important to share to international audiences. We believe the film explores a universal problem of populism, which most people can identify with. The urgency of the film’s main theme is intensified by the shifting political circumstances around the world. Luka is an extremely promising voice in Georgia; he has a bold vision and strong storytelling techniques, through which he conveys the deepest sorrow of a place where people have been waiting for justice over nine years," Nino Chichua told FNE.

    The project participated in Eurasia Doc 2018, GoEast Film Festival 2019 pitching, American Film Showcase 2020, Ex Oriente Film 2020, Doclisboa'20 - Nebulae, CEE Panorama at Sunny Side of the Doc 2021 and East Doc Platform 2021.

    The film is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2021.

    Born in Tbilisi, Luka Beradze graduated in film directing from the Tbilisi Mass Media and Public Communications International Institute in 2011. In addition to directing several of his own shorts, as well as music videos and commercials, Luka has worked on various local films as an assistant director. In 2016 he directed a short documentary I Came, I Saw, I Fixed It for the Georgian Public Broadcaster. In 2021 he completed a short film Sorry for Being Late, awaiting its premiere.

    Production Information:

    1991 Productions (Georgia)
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    Color of May (Germany)
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    Enekeny Films (Georgia)
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    Credits:
    Director: Luka Beradze
    Dop: Lomero Akhvlediani
    Composer: Kordz (Alex Kordzaia)
    Production Manager: Inna Margvelashvili
    Production Sound: Nino Tevdorasvhili
    Assistant Camera: Malkhaz Sichinava
    Assistant Director: Tamar Shubitidze
    Editing: Soso Bliadze, Luka Beradze
    Production: 1991 Productions (Nino Chichua, Anna Khazaradze)
    Coproduction: Color of May (Eva Blondiau), Enkeny Films (Sophio Bendiashvili, Bacho Meburishvili)