The National Film Transition Period in Georgia (1991-2000)

Georgian film has always been distinguished for its great cinematic traditions and achievements: since the turn of the twentieth century from the 1920s onwards, when the Soviet regime was established in this country. In the Soviet period, the best pictures of Georgian films were appreciated around the world for their true artistic merits. With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Soviet film industry system, development of local filmmaking faced many challenges. Indeed, the situation resulted in radical changes in everything, including filmmaking. The traditional sources of financing were closed, old Soviet structures were destroyed, and new film companies and small studios sprang up. The works of young film directors dominated that period. These films were not commercial but problematic. Their authors wanted to touch upon the pressing questions, but frequently in vain because they tried to do that using profoundly innovative methods, what was incomprehensible to the audience. This paper deals with the abovementioned problems of Georgian film and its first steps in the new era of national independent film industry, which had exceptional peculiarities and tendencies, in most cases very experimental, but unsuccessful.