Salome Jashi's Their Helicopter (2006) received, among others, awards at the DOCSDF International Documentary Film Festival Mexico City; Cronograf IDFF Moldova, and Lessinia IFF Italy.
Jashi's latest film The Leader Is Always Right (2010) was screened in March 2010 at the One World festival in Prague.
RESTAURANT BAKHMARO AND THOSE WHO WORK THERE
Work-in-progress
Georgia 2010
Director: Salome Jashi
Producer: Anna Dziapshipa, Nino Orjonikidze, Sakdoc Film
A three-story brick building in the provincial Georgian town of Chokhatauri houses a diverse mix of people. A Chinese man comes out to hang red lanterns in front of his shop. The dentist upstairs in her clean white room sterilizes her instruments. A refugee couple stares out of another window.
But at the center of the building is a restaurant whose walls are bright green and orange and where tables are set waiting for customers who rarely come. The film is centered around three characters – the boss, an active waitress always complaining and another, quiet easily controlled waitress.
This building is like a chaotic microcosm, a model of the country, with constant demonstrations and opposition rallies. On the backdrop of political events, somehow, all of life is here. Politics is never too far, affecting the isolated lives of those who live and work in the building.
Ex Oriente Film 2009 / East European Forum 2009