And Then We Danced Awarded at Odesa Film Festival

The 2019 Swedish-Georgian drama film 'And Then We Danced,' directed by Levan Akin, and the Ukrainian film 'Homeward,' helmed by Nariman Aliev, shared the Grand Prix at the Odesa International Film Festival, the closing ceremony of which was held on Saturday in the Ukrainian port city.

Akin’s film also won the hearts of the International Competition jury, which was comprised of Belgian director Peter Brosens, actress Ivanna Sakhno, director of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival Karel Och, actor Barry Ward and Georgian writer-director-producer Nana Ekvtimishvili, who handed 'And Then We Danced' the Best Film Award as well as the Best Actor Award for the performance by Georgia’s Levan Gelbakhiani. 

'And Then We Danced' is the first Georgian film about love between two homosexuals.

It was screened in the Directors' Fortnight section at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival and received very positive feedback.  

The plot tells of Merab (Levan Gelbakhiani) who has been training at the National Georgian Ensemble with his partner Mary (Ana Javakishvili). However, when Irakli (Bachi Valishvili) arrives, he becomes both his rival and strongest desire.

Photo: And Then We Danced/Facebook 

By Ana Dumbadze