In every time and period (which is determined by historical, public, economic, political and other, local or non-local, processes along with the flow of time), new stylistic and artistic searches, new forms of expression, new directions, currents begin to be formed in art. New trends, directions emerge and become established.
The same is happening in the Georgian cinema of the last decade. Covering new topics and problems, showing reality in a new angle, with a new perspective, through the stories of new heroes (more so, in the films of new generation directors), gives us a chance to think about the existence of new Georgian cinema.
Each new generation and new society is different from its predecessors, the distance of years also changes and transforms a lot; worldview, way of life, thinking, speech, thought are changing. While continuing “fathers’ ” path or directly repeating their achievements, each new generation, is also different in many signs and characteristics. Accordingly, the heroes of the new films live with other interests, problems and goals.
Even in the 2020s, when time changes again and so does the generation along with it, with its vision, thinking, attitude towards the outside world and actual or insignificant nuances of being, new ones are added to the "old" topics and the public's interest is handled in new directions. Already "trialed" topics and problems are "caught up with" new ones, and new heroes appeared who, like their predecessors, clearly and vividly carry the main signs and characteristics of their generation and create a portrait of contemporaries. The latest Georgian cinema chooses a new form and ways of existence, and society has an excuse for another choice and thought.
The film by a Georgian director Levan Akin living in Sweden, "And Then We Danced" (Georgia-Sweden-France, 2019) is a new variation of the already familiar situation of 21st century Georgian cinema, active themes, problems, our recent history, presented in a different perspective, context or subject-problems. With a new scent, a new vision and boldness and an invasion of a line that was taboo not only in art but also in life (and partly still remains so today) - on the queer topic.
In the center of the film events, the love story of two young men (Levan Gelbakhiani and Bachi Valishvili) unfolds. Wonderful is tradition, and it is wonderful when through tradition, you can create your own world, laws, "dance" and dance like no one else ever did. Dance with him, "for him" and without him. Love and be happy. Even if the relationship and happiness lasts for a short time. And be happy that a new day is beginning and you will definitely see it. Even hearing the voice will make you happy, as well as the momentary, final meeting.
Their lives are spent in daily rehearsals, preparation for the competition and the monotony of existence. Their environment, society is made up of other members of the ensemble, leaders, friends, families, neighbors, who live in a society that is not tolerant, that does not like different (and therefore, at all) people, if they do not behave, think, speak, look like others. They represent a society that does not understand, should not see and accept when someone starts to break the framework. He differs even in that he wears an earring as well as a chokha. It is society that creates the condition that everyone must lead the life which they "should live" because that's how they were taught, that's how they were raised. As a result, he sees his own life and that of others in the same way. However, there are exceptions.
The past and present of each of them, the reality in which they found themselves, along with other human and psychological factors, also show a metaphorical picture of the reality in the state. More precisely, it shows it in the first place.
Each episode points out that for most of these people, the older generation, everything is in the past – for some, fame or wealth, for others, the joy of being happy together. Daily existence and routine overtook them and took away the ability to perceive the present and hope for the future, faith. They also had to live in these circumstances, in these socio-political conditions, surrounded by such moral and ethical laws of this society, and other problems, contradictions, and dangers are waiting ahead.
The action takes place in different places with different socio-societal purpose and essence. There are many signs of the times, many specific characteristics, which are specified gradually and in various details. Common yards and buildings, old, once fashionable country houses and renovated rehearsal halls, darkened night clubs and restaurants, "middle-class" markets, transport and circus "Pleshka" and so on, and so forth. They substitute each other from shot to shot. Each has its own signs, meaning or "place." Everywhere there are people’s own way of life, peculiar relations. Everywhere they speak a characteristic, social, "regional" or "professional" language. Everywhere – in the shot or outside it – ones’ own voices are heard and "their" music sounds. This is how Levan Akin fills the picture of the world with scenes, episodes, events and creates an atmosphere saturated and charged with rich nuances and tones.
The main message of the film, the main line is the drama of young people in modern society and the drama of this society, which exists in difficult conditions, based on present and past experiences.
In many films of Georgian cinema, from the 1980s until now, one of the central problems or, in general, one of the main causes of society's problems has been the conflicting relationship between the environment and personality, parents and children, confrontation, lack of love. The situation when parents do not understand their children, do not sympathize with them, do not share their pain and feelings, and only based on their personal desires, opinions or the "need" to pay tribute to established stereotypical thinking, manage and treat them (as, for example, in Aleko Tsabadze's films, "The Stain" and "Night Dance," in the film "Long Bright Days" by Nana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Gross, or in "Invertebrate" by Gigisha Abashidze, or in "A Room of my Own" by Soso Bliadze, or, on the contrary, as a result of extreme parental care, as it happens in Levan Koghuashvili's film "Blind Dates").
In Levan Akin's film, there are no parents who fight with their children and distort their lives, who, regardless of social or other similar, existential, public or personal problems (which are in every family and appear in the line of each character, even in one line, even in one look), "normal" are fathers, mothers and grandmothers who take care of their children and grandchildren and they respond to them with love and care.
Another and eye-catching peculiarity that distinguishes the film from the background of modern cinema is the dramatization of problems, acute psychological and emotional conditions, without impressive effects. The director "speaks" in a light, pleasant and free manner, does not intensify or obscure anything. No one asked about morality and no one criticizes it. It shows a life in which nothing is made up and nothing is fake. He looks at everything calmly and undisturbedly and offers his own version of the problem solution. It reminds us that even when you are faced with a trial, but you have a purpose, when you know that you are right – there is always a way out and that one of the highest manifestations of humanity is to share and support the feelings and pain of others.
Lela Ochiauri
