Salome Jashi: Bakhmaro | October 27 | 18:30 – 20:30
The extraordinary making-of story of the film Bakhmaro (2011)
Open for: Industry + Press accreditations
Where: Assembly Hall
Today, when media images of the recent combat in Georgia still haunt the memories of many people, this year’s IDF industry programme introduces two new films that examine Georgia from inside and take a look at another side of life in Georgia. Both the films – Ramin, filmed by the Lithuanian classic Audrius Stonys, and Bakhmaro, a documentary shot by a young Georgian director Salome Jashi – have just been nominated for a distribution award Silver Eye. In addition to that, Salome Jashi will present the extraordinary making-of story at the case study on Thursday, October 27 at 18.30. All Industry and Press accreditation holders are cordially invited.
Bakhmaro
Bakhmaro , Georgia, Germany, 2011, 58 min, HD, Social Issues, Society
A journey into a lively but rotting building – a microcosm intruded by the constant anticipation of change. A three-story brick building in a provincial Georgian town. At the center of the building is a restaurant whose walls are covered with bright green and orange plastic foam and where tables are set, waiting for customers – who rarely come. Just like customers, change also comes rarely here. Just like the others in the building waitress Nana and her boss are waiting… This building, which resembles Noah’s Ark, is a microcosm, a model of this troubled country with its endless demonstrations and opposition rallies. On the backdrop of political events, somehow, all of life is here.
Bakhmaro is one of those documentaries where it is never absolutely sure it will be finished though quite some time has passed since the topic was established. The idea to film an intimate portrait of a building and all its inhabitants somewhere in Georgia originated as the result of a concurrence of circumstances and it could never fully rely on local resources. In February 2009 the project was, however, selected for the year-round Ex Oriente Film workshop where it proved to be one of the most interesting projects with most indefinite future.
Eventually, there has been a turnaround after several months. Institute of Documentary Film included Jashi’s documentary in the package of films it dispatches every year to feature at Co-production Meeting in Leipzig. Thanks to this partnership, Salome Jashi met Heino Deckert who immediately showed interest. Another partnership, this time between IDF and Documentary Campus Masterschool, allowed Salome to appear at public presentations of this co-production meeting and, now with Heino Deckert’s downright support, introduce the film internationally to various TV broadcasters.
Couple of days after, Salome Jashi managed to advance in the negotiations with European televisions at the East European Forum and she went through the final tuitions of dramaturgy workshops within Ex Oriente Film.
In the end the was supported also by Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, Georgian National Film Center, Taso Foundation, ACNP, Göteborg Film Festival Fund and European Cultural Foundation.
The film, eventually co-produced by the Georgian company Sakdok and the German ma.ja.de, enjoyed the participation of several European broadcasters: MDR from Germany, Ikon from the Netherlands, the Finnish YLE, Polish TV and Estonian TV.
This case study takes a deep look at all aspects of the film’s origin – from the conditions and fashion of filmmaking in distant parts of Georgia with a minimal budget, to the co-production experiences with a healthy German partner and many TV broadcasters.
Jashi Salome
Salome Jashi's Bakhmaro is also one of the films nominated for Silver Eye award in mid-length category: SILVER EYE AWARDS 2011 NOMINEES
