Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry

Shashvi shashvi maq'vali

64th TIFF: Greek Premiere

A true gem of New Georgian filmmaking (whose title pays hommage to Otar Ioselliani – the “singing blackbird” of this powerful national cinema) presents the portrait of a lion-hearted late bloomer who learns how to find and trust her inner voice. Etero, a 48-year-old woman living in a small village in Georgia, never wanted a husband. She cherishes her freedom as much as her cakes. But her choice to live alone is the cause of much gossip among her fellow villagers. Unexpectedly, she finds herself passionately falling for a man, and is suddenly faced with the decision to pursue a relationship or continue a life of independence. Etero must grapple with her feelings and decide how to find her own path to happiness.

Screening Schedule

No physical screenings scheduled.

Direction: Elene Naveriani

Script: Elene Naveriani, Nikoloz Mdivani, based on a novel by Tamta Melashvili

Cinematography: Agnesh Pakozdi

Editing: Aurora Franco Vögeli

Sound: Philippe Ciompi

Actors: Eka Chavleishvili, Temiko Chinchinadze, Anka Khurtsidze, Tamar Mdinaradze

Production: Alva Film, Takes Film,

Producers: Thomas Reichlin, Britta Rindelaub, Ketie Danelia

Costumes: Nino Injia

Sets: Teo Baramidze

Make Up: Julia Nietlispach, Eka Chikhradze

Format: DCP

Color: Color

Production Country: Switzerland, Georgia

Production Year: 2023

Duration: 111'

Distribution in Greece: Ama Films

Contact: Totem Films

Awards/Distinctions: Heart of Sarajevo Award for Best Film, Heart of Sarajevo Award for Best Actress – Sarajevo Film Festival 2023, Audience Award – New Horizons International Film Festival 2023, Emeric Pressburger Prize, CICAE Jury Prize, FIPRESCI Prize – Jameson CineFest Miskolc International Film Festival 2023

Elene Naveriani

Elene Naveriani (1985, Georgia) is a director, now living in Switzerland. They graduated from the Tbilisi State Academy of Art in monumental painting in 2003. After a Master’s in Critical Curatorial Cybermedia at the HEAD – Geneva (Geneva School of Art and Design), they started their studies in Cinema. Their graduation short film Gospel of Anasyrma (2014) was acclaimed for its distinctive signature and stance. Elene’s work makes invisible stories visible, unheard voices heard, and creates a space for marginalised lives. Elene practises a cinema of resistance. In keeping with that line, their first feature I Am Truly a Drop of Sun on Earth (2017) premiered in Rotterdam and was awarded numerous prizes (Seoul, Xining, Valladolid, Porto). Elene also directed two further short films that received considerable acclaim. Red Ants Bite (2019) was nominated for the best Swiss short film award. In 2021, their second feature film Wet Sand had its World Premiere in Locarno in August 2021 to glowing reviews and earned the Best Actor’s prize. Elene is currently developing two further feature-film projects.