One of the outstanding representatives of the 20th century creative field, David Bowie, often connected his work with spirituality and the concept of the existence of God. He even mentioned in a 1997 interview that the search for God is one of the main components for making life a living. It is with this genius musician’s famous song, “Space Oddity,” that Giorgi Psitidze’s student film, “A4 God is at Work” (2022) begins. We hear the first strum of the guitar and simultaneously see views of Tbilisi. With faded colors and the non-static nature of the camera, we get into the car with the character and the journey begins.
The main character, David Maisuradze (Nikoloz Gvazava), goes to the university to pick up his diploma, which is already kept on the shelf. We expect that this is where a new stage in his life begins but the song by David Bowie, which serves as the leitmotif of the film, with its heavy melody, seems to teach us something else. Then we meet a strange taxi driver who is distinguished by excessive activity, does not know the way and, in general, has been working for six days, and the next day he definitely plans to rest. The action probably takes place on Saturday. Despite the dangers encountered on the way, they reach their destination and say goodbye to each other. David spends the night with his friends and the next morning on a hangover, he comes across the same person on the street. The driver claims that he knew he would need him and will take him to Tbilisi for free, because “the institution invites him.”
Throughout the film, the director uses various symbols to indicate who this mystical taxi driver is. For the viewer, this can be perceived, to some extent, as a direct proportionality. For example, his 12 employees, 1 of whom he fired and 11 remained; his son, who is 33 years old and once was switched off for two days and woke up on the third day as if he had been resurrected, etc.
The topic that the film addresses is certainly not unique, but it is interesting why the director chose this topic, because despite the fact that we do not have any factual information about it, the film is clearly based on Dato Gorgiladze's short story "God is at Work" In which exactly the same story is told, according to which the incarnate God appears as a taxi driver in Tbilisi streets. This makes it more complicated for the director to correctly convey what he has to say to the audience and turn the literary source into his individual creation. The running time of the film is 18 minutes. This time is quite enough to convey what is being said. The most noticeable in the film is the proper quality of editing and the lack of "cinematic colors." It seems that we should watch this film alone not on a big screen but in a small, darkened room. the director's intention might have been such?! Eventually, we all stay alone when we search for our own truth and in this search we find God.
At a certain stage in our lives, each of us finds himself on a path that is very long and vague. The given helping hand directing us on this path is different for everyone but it is necessary. Often, this misty path can be illuminated by another, close person or a complete stranger. Sometimes this is the path on which you are completely alone or you think that you are alone because God, that is, the sublime concept individually perceived by each person, constantly remains with us. In this film by Giorgi Psitidze, God did not rest even on the seventh day and illuminated the misty path for the main character.
In the climax of the film, the viewer sees how God fulfills his service and gets lost in the colors of the rising sun. Here his earthly service ends and the main character's journey begins. In the last scene, Davit wakes up in the car, but in the driver's seat. His taxi driver's license is stored in the storage compartment next to the mirror. David is still in an uncertain state, but confidently throws away his license, keeps his diploma and removes the taxi roof sigh. Here he begins his journey along the already lit road, and nearby, from the car next to him, God looks with hopeful eyes.
The modern details that the director offers us are worth mentioning. For example, the school that David graduated from is Sulkhan Kvernadze University, which also exists in Georgian reality from the world of cinema and is a kind of calling card for describing "useless" diplomas. The incarnated God has become too accustomed to earthly life, plays online slots on his phone, and again treats the drunken David with alcohol. At the same time, he brings two fish and five loaves of bread and promises David that if they are not enough, he will multiply them. This is truly a classic quote from God and the opening of the film. Here, it finally becomes clear to everyone what purpose this man serves (if we can call God a man).
The plot of the film is topical and well-known. A young man is in an uncertain phase of life after graduating from university. The director has strangely deviated from the path and introduced us to God in an earthly form. Religious inspiration and deep faith are not at the zenith of their relevance among modern youth. Accordingly, this makes the director’s decision interesting. It would be nice to fully understand that we are watching the final version of the film, more determined by the cameraman's vision and the result of editing. Despite the loss, the director was able to revive Gorgiladze’s story in his own way and bring something to the audience.
Lizi Gaprindashvili
