Every nation has its most famous work of art, which is read to children from a young age and quotes are learned by heart, which embody the spirit of these people. For Georgians, this is “The Knight in the Panther's Skin,” a poem that has survived for centuries and does not lose its popularity.
It always plays an important role in the formation of cultural consciousness, carries not only artistic value, but also has a powerful force of deep moral and ethical impact on the reader. It is also a magnificent and unique literary monument, a celebration of love, friendship and tolerance.
In the 21st century, fiction and art, in themselves, are no longer the paradigm of culture formation as they used to be because their functions have shifted to social networks, which actually represent our civilization, therefore, works of art are acquiring new forms in the era of technical reproduction in order to become more accessible to the consumer.
Social networks have shaken the world and presented new possibilities for art which, on the one hand, contributes to the diversity of primary sources, and on the other-leads to a decrease in its quality. While there is a boom in “Tik-Tok” and “Instagram,” where is the place for “The Knight in the Panther’s Skin?” How can we convey it to the new generation painlessly so that it does not lose the charge that comes from it? It is interesting to understand if Rustaveli’s work is perceived correctly in modern times and whether its true meaning is being lost.
Erekle Inashvili’s film “The Country of Rustaveli” (2023) is a combination of documentary and feature film. This work is an attempt to discuss the meaning of Rustaveli’s work, its legacy and influence on modern Georgian culture. German linguist Emine Sahingöz travels to “The Country of Rustaveli” and tries to find out why this poem is so valuable to Georgians and where it will find its new identity in the technological age.
In the introduction of the film Anro Tsirekidze’s (a woman who knows the poem by heart) voice is heard. She reads the beginning of “The Knight in the Panther’s Skin.” The audience is given the opportunity to better understand the importance of Shota Rustaveli not only as a poet, but also as a very important figure in the cultural heritage.
The attitude towards “The Knight in the Panther’s Skin” is revealed in excerpts from interviews with various people living in Georgia. Each of them tells a story from their lives and their attitude towards the poem, which is mixed and scattered in different parts of the film. There is a lot of material given though very briefly. Small fragments follow each other with lightning speed. The pace slows down in the middle, which is a bit tiring. Moreover, most of the characters' conversations are either about their own experiences or just general recollections of the work, which does not lead to the main idea of the film. There is no mention or suggestion of a solution, how it should be taught and what ways have been developed or what needs to be done to modernize it.
In some scenes, the pace would have been easier to understand. For example, during a visit to a school in Kakheti, the conversation is about everything - German-Georgian relations, joint work, exchange programs. The meaning of this scene is unclear, especially since only a few words were said about “The Knight in the Panther’s Skin,” which is not enough to convey the idea. When watching a documentary, there is an expectation that you will receive a rich and in-depth analysis of a specific topic. Unfortunately, in the case of this film, several other topics are introduced in addition to the main topic, which are more than enough in the work and lead to a misunderstanding of why it was necessary to cover them specifically in this film. By the time you get to the finale, you already forget what the main subject of observation was.
Thanks to the diversity of Georgia, the environment changes frequently. Both old and new districts of Tbilisi are shown, as well as several regions of the country. The action begins in in Duisi, in the Pankisi Gorge. Filming in different regions reinforces the message that despite its geographical and cultural diversity, Georgia has a single national identity.
The color palette is eye-catching. The author often uses warm tones, which enhance the spirituality of the film, reflecting the ideological symbolism of both the time and Shota Rustaveli’s work. The focus is mainly on red, green and blue colors, which bring to the fore the world of “The Knight in the Panther’s Skin,” heroism, freedom and selfless struggle.
In “The Country of Rustaveli,” shots are often taken from a distance, thus emphasizing the beauty and historical significance of Georgia’s nature. The cameraman pays great attention to details, human actions and natural elements. Portrait shots, made in natural light without special effects, help the viewer to see Georgia’s rich cultural heritage not only verbally but also visually.
The synthesis of modern and folk music demonstrates Georgia's past and present as a whole. Due to the fact that there are many silent shots, music is the main factor in creating tension, but as it turned out, it was difficult to maintain balance - in some places the melody is too heavy, which prevents the correct perception of the episodes
As is typical for a documentary, Inashvili uses natural sounds in the film, which change depending on the environment. In the village, there is a lot of pleasant rustling of leaves, the sounds of animals and birds, in the city this is replaced by clatter and noise. However, there is no need to overdo the naturalness, which is what happened in some episodes. There are often awkward pauses during the conversation, which not only enhances the feeling of reality, but also causes a feeling of disbelief.
The scenes are saturated with symbolism and philosophical motifs. The structure may seem overloaded with information for those who do not have sufficient knowledge of Rustaveli's work.
The film conveys the poem's depth and meaning well. On a visual level, there is a good synthesis between historical and artistic elements, but to what extent does it answer the question posed at the beginning, where will it find its identity in the 21st century? In what form will it reach the reader? The discussion about this begins at the 50th minute, when the entire running time is seventy minutes, which is not enough to fully develop the main topic.
It is impossible to fully reveal the meaning of “The Knight in the Panther’s Skin” in one hour. You will not learn anything new about the poem here. What you will see is definitely interesting, but very meager.
Rustaveli’s work is something that reminds us of real values that will never lose their meaning. “The Knight in the Panther’s Skin” continues to occupy a special place in the hearts of readers. It is amazing how powerful a word written centuries ago is and how it helps people realize their true nature, so it is not at all surprising that an artist would want to pay tribute to the magnificent poem in his work.
Documentary film is a truly wonderful opportunity to tell real stories, in different ways, with success or failure. “The country of Rustaveli” is an attempt to confront spirituality, culture, and intellect, just like the poem itself.
This film once again proves that no matter to what genre you attribute the poem, no matter how modernized you present it to the audience, no matter how professional you are in your field, it will still not be enough, you will not be able to fully convey its spirit, because there is something magical and inexplicable in “The Knight in the Panther’s Skin.”
Teona Vekua
