Georgian Films to Be Showcased at IFFR
TBILISI- Later this month, two films by Georgian directors Dea Kulumbegashvili and Ioseb Bliadze will be showcased at one of Europe’s largest film festivals. The 46th International Film Festival Rotterdam will be held from January 25th to February 5th, in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) offers a high-quality line-up of carefully selected fiction and documentary feature films, short films and media art. IFFR is one of the largest audience and industry-driven film festivals in the world. During twelve festival days, hundreds of filmmakers and other artists will present their work to a large audience and 2,538 film professionals. The festival's Official Selection includes some 252 feature films and 225 short films, from 50 countries.
IFFR actively supports new and adventurous filmmaking talent through its co-production market CineMart, its Hubert Bals Fund, Rotterdam Lab and other industry activities.
The occasion that began in 1972 with seventeen attendees on its opening night now plays host to one of the largest crowds for continental film events, with 305,000 admissions registered in its 2016 edition.
Among about 500 feature and short films screened to the cinema-goers this year will be the award-winning short Lethe by Dea Kulumbegashvili and Three Steps by Ioseb Bliadze.
Kulumbegashvili's film, a co-production between France and Georgia and filmed in one of Georgia's mountainous villages, will screen within the Preludes theme of the Short Film section of the festival.
Kulumbegashvili was born and raised in Georgia. She studied film directing at Columbia University School of the Arts and Media Studies at The New School in New York City.
Her debut short film "Invisible Spaces" was nominated for Palme d'Or du Court Métrage at the Cannes International Film Festival in 2014.
"Lethe" is her second film and it was premiered in Director's Fortnight section at the Cannes international Film Festival in 2016 and was also shown to audiences at the Batumi International Art-House Film Festival in Georgia.
Kulumbegashvili's work was awarded the Cinematic Achievement Award at the Thessaloniki International Short Film Festival in November of last year.
Ioseb Bliadze's submission will be part of the festival’s Voices Short Film theme.
It is the filmmaker's second short project and was co-written with director Elmar Imanov and Giga Liklikadze.
The IFFR management emphasizes diversity in its film programming and building relationships with, and between, filmmakers and audiences. It is described as having "a serious commitment to film lovers and filmmaking” - screenings are shown without 'popcorn breaks,’ trailers or other commercials.
This year, the festival will present an up-to-the-minute program that will study polarization in contemporary society.
By Natia Liparteliani