The film had its world premiere at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2024, where it received a commendation from the Ecumenical Jury. It also won best film in the Feature Film Competition section of the 19th Batumi International Art-house Film Festival (BIAFF), and Best Film in the Parallels and Encounters Programme at the 31st European Film Festival Palić.
In 2018, well after the dissolution of Soviet atheism, Georgia is a country of growing Orthodox Christianity. Rooted in this fundamentalism are emerging fascist organisations, which perpetuate conservative values on nationalism, religion and sexuality. One such battle is against sex clubs and brothels run by Muslim immigrants that offer a solution for Georgian youth in a country where premarital sex is a religious taboo for girls, but a cultural mandate for boys.
Sixteen years old Sandro is in a formative moment in his life as his single father abandons him to become a monk. Vulnerable and susceptible to ideological influences, Sandro's mind and body are pulled from all directions. His search for a father figure results in a growing devotion to God and the influence of the Fascist organisations for young people.
The main cast includes Data Chichua, Ia Sukhitashvili, Malkhas Abuladze and Vakhtang Kedeladze.
The film was produced by Vladimer Katcharava through Georgian 20 Steps and coproduced by Olivier Chantriaux through FILM02 (France), Anamaria Antoci through Tangaj Production (Romania) and Luca Cabriolu through More Rosse Production (Italy), with support from the Georgian National Film Center, Aide aux cinémas du monde (French CNC), Ile-de-France, MIC Co-production Fund, RAI Cinema, the Romanian Film Centre, the Romanian National Television, and Chainsaw Europe.
Panopticon was lensed by the Romanian cinematographer Oleg Mutu, who worked on Cristian Mungiu's 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (2007) and Beyond the Hills (2012, Mobra Films), and is also a regular collaborator of Sergei Loznitsa.
MMM Film Sales is handling international sales.
The shortlist in the international film category will be unveiled on 16 December 2025, followed by the nominations on 22 January, and the 98th annual award of the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on 15 March 2026.
