review by Levan Tskhovrebadze, written during the MIOB LAB of Cultural, Creative and Festival Journalism at the European Film Forum Scanorama
Cinema, the 1977 gem from the late Georgian writer-director Liana Eliava (1939-2023), is a pure ode to the early motion-picture industry. Deploying vintage vibes reminiscent of silent films and a deliberately naive visual style, Eliava narrates a fictional story about the Georgian pioneer filmmaker Sosiko Cholokashvili (Murman Jinoria). Screened as a retrospective pick during the 2023 European Film Forum Scanorama in Vilnius, Cinema shines as a masterwork that will be a pleasant discovery for Georgian and international audiences alike.
In the early 1900s, new inventions were rapidly changing the world. Trains had already distorted the rhythm of the universe, and now moving pictures were about to question perceptions of time and existence. As the film begins, Sosiko — an inquisitive young man from a noble family — returns home from Paris with a camera bought from the Lumiere brothers' company. His desire to make films imperils his reputation among society, family, and even with his beloved Nutsiko (Ketevan Kobulia). Overcoming any potential embarrassment, the young artists diligently continue shooting, editing, and projecting pictures.
Cinema's aesthetics interweave the early days of Georgian kino with the masterpieces of Keaton, Chaplin, Griffith, and Renoir; Sosiko's appearance even recalls the deadpan visage of Buster Keaton. Our young hero wanders through the streets, capturing random scenes of 1900s Tbilisi's daily life, such as the flight of a hot air balloon and traditional dancing. Most of those clips are created by Eliava herself, though we do encounter a few shots from actual pre-WWI Georgian works, such as Journey of Akaki (Vasil Amashukeli, 1912) — the first Georgian feature, of which only 44 minutes now exist.
The picture operates in a manner akin to a silent-screen drama, with dialogues relatively unimportant. Many scenes are dominated by the musical score from legendary Georgian composer Giya Kancheli — indeed, one can follow the narrative easily even without an understanding of Russian (Cinema is dubbed in that language) and/or Lithuanian (there were only Lithuanian subtitles during the Scanorama screening).
In the beginning, Sosiko's milieu regards his enthusiasm as a fleeting fad. And, as he becomes more involved in his chosen activity, his circumstances become even more challenging. His uncle, Prince Goga Cholokashvili, drives him from his home; even Nutsiko leaves him, marrying another. Thus the noble gentleman becomes a wandering hobo, the epitome of the tortured filmmaker/artist.
Cinema celebrates the early days of cinematography, telling a story about the destiny of an auteur sacrificing his entire life to produce pictures. The screen glows with sharp black-and-white images, resulting in a dreamy and memorable experience that lingers powerfully in the mind.
