Discovering Georgian Cinema
By Ron Merk
BAM/PFA AND MOMA COLLABORATE ON THE LARGEST RETROSPECTIVE OF GEORGIAN CINEMA EVER IN THE US; SERIES FEATURES APPROXIMATELY FIFTY FILMS AND SPANS MORE THAN A CENTURY OF FILMMAKING; BERKELEY PRESENTATION OPENS IN LATE SEPTEMBER AND CONTINUES THROUGH SPRING 2015
A CO-PRESENTATION WITH THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART
No, this has nothing to do with the southern state in which Atlanta is located. It’s an amazing retrospective of cinema from the country of Georgia, previously part of the Soviet Union.
The University of California, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAM/PFA) and The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) are proud to present Discovering Georgian Cinema, the largest retrospective of Georgian film ever mounted in North America. A collaboration between BAM/PFA and MoMA, the series spans more than a century of filmmaking, from 1907 through 2014. The retrospective demonstrates a dazzling range of stylistic approaches and thematic concerns, from anti-bureaucratic satires of the Soviet system to philosophical studies rooted in a humanist tradition and lyrical depictions of Georgia’s spectacular landscape. BAM/PFA and MoMA will run concurrent programs this fall. The exhibition is organized by BAM/PFA Senior Film Curator Susan Oxtoby and Jytte Jensen, Curator, Department of Film, MoMA.
The BAM/PFA presentation gets underway on September 26 and continues through spring 2015. Including approximately fifty programs, the series showcases the strength of BAM/PFA’s own Soviet Georgian collection, as well as rare prints from international archives. Screenings at the PFA Theater will feature special guests, including filmmakers and authorities on Georgian cinema and culture. Silent-era films will be presented with live musical accompaniment by master pianist Judith Rosenberg
The San Francisco Bay Area offers a veritable cornucopia of choices for film lovers and this is a great example of the variety of films available in the area. Presented by the Pacific Film Archive in ideal conditions, with great source material and subtitling enhancing the experience.
Read more about the series at: http://bampfa.berkeley.edu/filmseries/georgian
The PFA is also offering a film course to educate and acquaint viewers with this treasure trove of cinema:
http://bampfa.berkeley.edu/filmseries/olli_georgian
If you know nothing about this part of the world, or nothing about cinema from this country, this is a unique opportunity to watch stunning examples of film art, great portraits of brave people, and a rare glimpse at the human condition which is do delicately portrayed in this series.