Georgia, Alone

Georgia, Alone

1995 · 236 min · ★ 4.2 · Documentary

The horrific war in Chechnya, a neighbor of Georgia, gives a special poignancy to Otar Iosseliani’s fascinating, four-hour, made-for-television documentary on Georgia which, like his delightful Chasing Butterflies (SFIFF 1993), was produced in France. Iosseliani presents the history of this former Soviet republic through beautifully interwoven images of landscapes, artwork and clips from other Georgian filmmakers such as Nikoloz Shengalaya and Tenghiz Abuladze. He illuminates the part played recently by two politicians, both KGB men but with very different destinies: Zviad Gamsakhurdia, an ultranationalistic demagogue who died in exile; and Eduard Shevardnadze, who is the president of Georgia today.

Directed by Otar Iosseliani · Written by Otar Iosseliani

Your Rating

Make it a double feature

5h 53m together

Georgia, Alone

Brigands, Chapter VII

Both from Otar Iosseliani.

More from Otar IosselianiSee all →

Winter Song

Winter Song · 2015

MovieComedyDrama

Two old friends have urban adventures connected to the skull of an executed French aristocrat.

Eletrodoméstica

Eletrodoméstica · 2005

Eletrodoméstica

MovieComedyDrama

A middle-class family living in a house filled with superfluous electronic appliances see the arrival of a new item, a 29" TV-set.

There Once Was a Singing Blackbird

There Once Was a Singing Blackbird · 1970

There Once Was a Singing Blackbird

MovieDramaComedy

Gia is a carefree young percussionist who works at a theater in Tbilisi, capital of Georgia. He lives in a small apartment with his mother. Gia spends his days flitting from friend to friend, lover to lover, avoiding any responsibility, and never staying still for five minutes. However, he always manages to arrive at the theater just in time to play the drums at the end of the ballet.

And Then There Was Light

And Then There Was Light · 1989

And Then There Was Light

MovieComedyDrama

Events in an idyllic African village are shown in detail in the period just before logging trucks come in and cut down the forest around the villagers, forcing them to move into the wretched shantytowns that surround major cities throughout the undeveloped world. Despite the familiar premise, this surprisingly unsentimental film by Georgian director Otar Ioselliani has several things going for it, beginning with the cinematography and including the natural and unaffected (non-professional) performances of the villagers.

Brigands, Chapter VII

Brigands, Chapter VII · 1996

Brigands, Chapter VII

A witty, despairing French-Russian-Italian-Swiss art movie set in 16th-century Georgia, Stalinist Georgia, contemporary Georgia, and contemporary Paris, featuring the same set of actors in all four settings.

Monday Morning

Monday Morning · 2002

MovieDramaComedy

Vincent lives in a village, along the Rhône. Every morning he goes to the factory to work, and in the evening he takes care of his family. One day, he decides to go on a trip with the money given by his father.

Gardens in Autumn

Gardens in Autumn · 2006

Gardens in Autumn

When he loses his position as a powerful government minister, Vincent is dropped by his pretty mistress and must begin life anew, without the privileges of power. As he gradually becomes acquainted with milieus which he d either forgotten or never known and a host of sometimes eccentric, often remarkable everyday people, Vincent really begins to start living again.

Story of Young Girl

Story of Young Girl · 1960

Story of Young Girl

MovieFamilyDrama

An Young, inexperiences girl had decided to live in the countryside, but she can't find her place among gloomy, unfriendly locals, Can't manage to do her job well. and decides to return to the city. However, her family thinks that her return would be inappropriate for their traditions.

Falling Leaves

Falling Leaves · 1966

MovieRomanceDrama

A young worker takes a job at a local state run winery only to discover and become disillusioned by the corruption of the Soviet State.

Chasing Butterflies

Chasing Butterflies · 1992

Chasing Butterflies

Two old ladies live in a French chateau. When one of them dies, her sister, who lives in Moscow, inherits the property, which soon ends up in the hands of Japanese businessmen.

Georgian Ancient Songs

Georgian Ancient Songs · 1969

Georgian Ancient Songs

MovieDocumentaryMusic

Under the premise of documenting for the sake of preservation the various forms of Georgian religious chanting, a distinct kind of sonorous psalmody passed over from generation to generation, what Otar Iosseliani captures in reality is the snapshot of a not-so-distant past that coexists with the world we might know yet transports us to what used to be.

April

MovieRomanceComedy

A critique of materialism, the film is about a young couple who live in a rundown empty apartment. Their love is so strong that it makes the water flow and the electricity work, but when they start purchasing furniture and knickknacks, they fight and grow apart.

Pastorale

Pastorale · 1975

In the mountain village comes a group of young musicians in Tbilisi. Here they are going to relax and rehearse. Sad story about the final rupture occurred, the peasants do not sing beautiful old songs, the musicians play music incomprehensible to them ... Far from the idyllic image of rural life.

Cast Iron

Cast Iron · 1964

MovieDocumentary

Documentary of the Rustavi Metal Works, in the country of Georgia.

Watercolor

Watercolor · 1958

MovieComedyDrama

A man tries to escape from his wife in order to visit an exhibition, where he sees a painting representing his own house.

Farewell, Home Sweet Home

Farewell, Home Sweet Home · 1999

Farewell, Home Sweet Home

MovieDramaComedy

Nicholas is the eldest son of a wealthy suburban family, whose businesswoman mother makes deals from a helicopter and has an affair with her business partner. His cheerful, alcoholic father, on the other hand, is reduced to a prisoner in his room with his devoted dog and electric train set. Unbeknownst to his parents, Nicholas works as a window cleaner and dish washer in a Parisian cafe. He is also in love with the daughter of another cafe's owner, who, however, has an abusive boyfriend. One night, Nicholas sneaks a few drunken drifters into his family wine cellar and his father unexpectedly takes a liking to the stranger.

More Like This

Couldn't load this row right now.

Rate this film

Your ratings make Midnight smarter