24 July 2026
(Photo: OIFF)
The Odessa International Film Festival has announced a special program titled “Focus on Georgia,” which features five films by Georgian directors from different generations. The selection brings together both recognized classics and contemporary films that explore themes of war, family memory, personal freedom, and the search for home.
This was reported by the Odessa International Film Festival’s press office.
The program includes films that showcase diverse cinematic approaches and span several decades of Georgian history. The characters in the films grapple with the aftermath of wars and political upheavals, revisit their own pasts, attempt to restore lost family ties, and rethink the concept of home.
Audiences will be shown the film *Several Interviews on Personal Matters* (1978) by director Lana Gogoberidze. The film tells the story of Sofiko, a journalist who tries to balance her professional aspirations with societal expectations regarding a woman’s role in the family. Sofiko Chiaureli plays the lead role.
The program also includes the autobiographical film *Mother and Daughter, or The Night Never Ends* (2023), in which Lana Gogoberidze recounts the story of her mother, Nutsia Gogoberidze—Georgia’s first female film director. The film addresses Stalinist repression, family tragedy, and the recovery of a lost creative legacy.
Among the premieres is the film *Nandauri* (2025) by director Eti Tsiko. It tells the story of an Israeli lawyer who travels to a Georgian village to help a woman get her son back. The characters’ journey gradually evolves into a story of reconciliation, family conflicts, and reevaluating the past.
The documentary *The Kingdom of Kartli* (2025), directed by Tamar Kalandadze and Julien Pebré, is dedicated to the residents of a sanatorium in Tbilisi that has served as a refuge for refugees from Abkhazia for decades. The filmmakers explore the lives of people who were forced to leave their homes but have built a new community.
The program concludes with the psychological drama “Real Beings” (2025) by director Vakhtang Dzhadjanidze. The plot centers on two families whose encounter while on vacation leads to tragic consequences. The film explores themes of childhood, human indifference, and the fragility of family relationships.
The 17th OIFF will take place from August 27 to September 4, 2026, in Kyiv. The event is supported by the Ukrainian State Film Agency and the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation.
Ірина Глухова