{mosimage}Born in 1972, Ketevan (Keti) Machavariani graduated from Tbilisi State University's faculty of Art in 1995, and also studied Film Directing at the State University of Film and Theatre's faculty of Cinema, graduating in 2002. She undertook a practical course with the Italian state television broadcaster RAI, directed several shorts, worked as a director and producer for television, and became involved in film production. She cites her favourite filmmakers as, among others, Bresson, Cassavetes, the Coen brothers, and the Dardenne brothers.
Salt White/ Marilivit tetri follows the intertwined stories of three characters living on Georgia's Black Sea coast: Nana, Niko and Sopo. Nana is a 35 old woman waitress hoping to buy a small café one day. Niko, a policeman and refugee from Abkhazia, takes care of his elderly parents living at a hotel with other refugees. When Nana accidentally meets the homeless girl Sopo, she decides to help her.
"Salted reality, white dreams - that's the log line best suited for the film," Machavariani says. „I've chosen a story that's very familiar story. It takes place in the contemporary world, all characters and stories are based on true stories, and I've witnessed almost of all them."
Asked how she cast the main actors - Nino Koridze, Gagi Svanidze, and Fea Tsivadze, she replies, "I can't properly explain how, I only remember myself watching the face of my friend Nino Koridze who is playing Nana. Nino is a nonprofessional actress with experience in several Georgian films. Working with her and with Fea, now 13 years old, who is playing Sopo, convinced me that I should continue to work with nonprofessionals in the future."
The most difficult task for Machavariani as the director was, in her own words, "keeping the balance on all the levels - working on the script, or on the set with the crew members, editing or choosing the music."
Salt White/ Marilivit tetri is produced by Gia Bazgadze, Levan Korinteli and the film company Jaga Grip. It had a slow birth, waiting for a grant from the Georgian National Film Center (http://gnfc.ge) for two years. "I received a part of budget and afterwards I was supported by my close friends - film professionals and producers, and we found a solution on how to finish the project. Salt White was a very cheap production thanks to all people working on it," Machavariani told FNE.
The project received two grants from the Georgian National Film Center, for production and for post-production, and was co-produced by Konstantin Rizhinashvili.
The Georgian premiere is set for September 2011.
Production Information
Jaga Grip
4, Niagvari
Tbilisi, Georgia
Phone: +995 997 175 73
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Credits
Director: Keti Machavariani
Script: Keti Machavariani
DOP: George Shvelidze
Editor: Nodar Nozadze
Cast: Nino Koridze
Gagi Svanidze
Fea Tsivadz
