Georgia: The 74th Berlin International Film Festival, which runs from 15 to 25 February 2024, is hosting a strong Georgian delegation that showcases the country’s rich and diverse cinematic heritage and promotes its potential for co-production and film shooting.
It was led by Koba Khubunaya, the acting director of the National Cinema Center and the deputy minister of culture and sports, the Georgian delegation includes several directors and producers who are presenting their completed and ongoing projects at the European Film Market (EFM), the business platform of the festival.
The Georgian stand at the EFM, supported by the National Cinema Center, the Ministry of Culture and Sports, the National Wine Agency, and Georgian Airways, displays the achievements and opportunities of Georgian cinema, such as its unique style, its historical legacy, its contemporary talent, and its attractive locations.
The Georgian delegation has also held meetings with representatives of various international organizations, film festivals, production companies, and online platforms to discuss the possibilities of collaboration, funding, and distribution.
Among the highlights of the meetings were:
- A meeting with Khalil Benkirani, the head of the Doha Film Institute Foundation, to explore the financing schemes and opportunities for Georgian filmmakers to get support from the foundation.
- A meeting with Clemons Mishaloni, the representative of the documentary film market “Sunny Side of the doc”, to discuss the potential of setting up a Georgian stand at the market and presenting Georgian documentaries at the event.
- A meeting with Roberto Cueto Lera, the head of the San Sebastian International Film Festival Selection Commission, to discuss the Georgian films that have been completed and the ongoing projects that could be presented at the festival.
- A meeting with Francesco Melzi D’Eril, a famous producer, to discuss the prospects of cooperation with the Georgian Film Center in the direction of co-production.
- The Georgian delegation will continue to hold active meetings with various film industry professionals during the festival.
One of the most prestigious events of the festival is the European Shooting Stars, a competition program organized by the European Film Promotion (EFP), an international network that unites film organizations from 37 countries, including the National Cinema Center of Georgia.
The competition selects 10 young actors from Europe who are considered the “future stars” of European cinema and allows them to meet with casting directors, agents, and producers.
This year, the jury of international film experts chose Salome Demuria, a Georgian actress, as one of the 10 European Shooting Stars of 2024. She was nominated by the National Cinema Center of Georgia for her role in Rusudan Glurjidze’s film “Antiquarian”, a drama about the aftermath of the Georgian-Abkhazian war.
Demuria will receive her award on February 19 and will have the chance to network with the film industry professionals during the festival.
The participation of the Georgian delegation and the recognition of Demuria as a European Shooting Star demonstrate the vitality and creativity of Georgian cinema and its growing presence and influence on the international film scene.
