MESTIA – Despite the naysayers who still believe theatrical moviegoing is past its prime, film festivals in some manner or another are held every day in some corner of the globe. Some pop more than others. So, when you receive an invite to attend a relatively new festival in the Caucasus Mountains of the Republic of Georgia, it gets your attention. Hence, a journey through the Republic of Georgia to the 6th Annual Metsia International Film Festival, an event with the potential for significant cultural impact in this part of the world.
But wait, first, let’s talk about Tbilisi.
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Chances are, if you live in North America, you have very few friends or family who have visited Georgia, a country at the intersection of Europe and Western Asia. Sadly, many people you know may be unaware of this Black Sea nation whatsoever. And that’s a genuine shame.
A third of the population lives in Tbilisi, a city that feels quintessentially European while still echoing the Soviet era more than any city we’ve visited outside of Budapest. A third of Georgia’s population lives here, and a majority want to join the European Union (its candidacy was put on hold after “democratic backsliding” by the current government two years ago). There are E.U flags everywhere, and we randomly walked through a peaceful weekly rally for its membership on a warm July evening. There is also a deep disdain for Georgia’s northern neighbor, Russia (that five-day war in 2008 is one of countless reasons), and an estimated 100,000 Russians are currently living in Georgia to escape the ramifications of the Ukrainian invasion.
But in many ways, Tbilisi is a little gem of a city that hasn’t been overgentrified yet or seen its character warped by too many glass tower complexes. Yes, like Mexico City, Athens, and Lisbon, there are a significant number of digital nomads. And as with those cities, locals will say they are one reason for increasing rents. The workspace cafes are legitimately cool, however, and the internet might be faster than some American cities we’ve been to. All that aside, Tbilisi’s old town is why you go. It’s full of centuries-old spas, distinctive 19th-century-designed balconies that evoke New Orleans’ French Quarter, and, honestly, what city have you ever been to that has a real waterfall in the middle of it? To be fair, Georgia is not easy to get to unless you’re based in Eastern Europe, Greece or Turkey. But if you’re criss-crossing the world, Tbilisi is absolutely worth the pit-stop.
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For a festival that is just six years old, MIFF featured over 2,000 short and feature entries and a jury that included Golden Globe-winning director Siddiq Barmak (“Osama,” the upcoming “The Postman”), famed Korean cinematographer Kim Hyung-Koo (“Memories of a Murder,” “The Host”) and guests including prolific producer and financier Guillaume de Seille as well as Georgian director Rusudan Glurjidze (“The Antique”), and producer Olena Yershova, whose next film, Levan Koguashvili‘s “Guria,” premieres at Venice next monthamong others. The event was also a hub for Georgian and regional filmmakers and executives. There were masterclass events with spirited discussions on the difficulties of co-financing with numerous international partners (the requirements from some national funds are becoming more complex) and strategies for more arthouse movies in Europe. For those of us who have experienced the American independent financing model, these talks made it clear the grass is not always greener on the other side of the Atlantic. But the passion on hand was evident, and that clearly excites festival director and founder Khatuna Khundadze.
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Director of the century-old Georgian Film Studio, now operated by the Georgian government as Georgian Film, Khundadze always dreamed of the mountains. As a young girl, she could see the twin peaks of Ushba in the distance from her hometown. Eventually, she conceived of a festival in Mestia, a burgeoning hamlet (and UNESCO World Heritage Site) in the Svaneti province that is becoming a significant tourist destination for hikers, mountain climbers, and nature lovers from all over the world.
Khundadze had already broken through Georgia’s male-dominated film industry in her day job. Convincing leaders in Svaneti, a traditionally patriarchal part of the country, that she could stage a world-class event was not easy. But she found an ally in the local mayor, and did what would be unthinkable to many. She launched MIFF in 2021, during the latter half of the COVID pandemic.
“During the pandemic, we were going crazy. We don’t know what to do,” Khundadze says. “We need sometimes more independent art, something new. I think, ‘Now in this year. Now, or never. Now, or never.'”
Metsia itself is genuinely stunning. Imagine the tranquility of Telluride, Colorado, and the backdrop of the San Juan Mountains with a thunderous river running through the center of town. New hotels are being built everywhere. There seems to be a free public concert in the town park every few days. And the weather? Divine. And while the journey isn’t easy (a seven-hour drive from Tbilisi or a small plane flight that is operational depending on the weather), it’s a locale that could entice major international filmmakers and cinephiles to attend a summer festival in a part of the world many from North America, at least, have never visited. And while some of Khundadze’s friends and colleagues think MIFF could grow by expanding its programming or overall scope, her long-term vision is more personal. She wants the five or six former students who started the event with her to, eventually, take the reins. To ensure its survival.
Looking at her translator, Khundadze says, “This is a perfect one. I said [to her], ‘I can’t be coming up on the stage to present everything in 5 years.’ She said, ‘OK, yes, [I will do it].’ I want this to be continued. I want the legacy to continue with the young people. I want younger people to come, and I want newer, let’s say, Georgian films to be presented more.”
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One subject matter that unexpectedly kept rearing its head over the five-day event wasn’t about a particular movie in the program, but the battle for other films to get into Cannes and/or Venice. These festivals are key for filmmakers looking for distribution in Europe, let alone the U.S., but the perspectives of American and European producers over the selection process is decidedly different. De Seille spoke during his masterclass about the frustration of certain films not making the Venice cut this year because that festival was holding a slot for studio films such as Alejandro González Iñárritu’s “Digger.” When that title decided not to participate, he was told “Primetime” with Robert Pattinson made the cut. According to De Seille, that meant a smaller European film was shut out. We’d suggest there is much more nuance to the decision-making, but Yershova knows the process all too well. “Guria” was short-listed for Cannes, but didn’t get a final selection (this “short-listed” term or process is never used by American producers or distributors. Either you got in or you didn’t).
“A couple months before, weeks before, they say you might get in,” Yershova says. “And then at the last moment you are not in because of some of their combinations. I was frustrated, but we are happy in Venice, and yeah, at some point, good film will find plays, but also the one is one of the most important Georgian directors. So, you believe in it. You have to be patient and cool.”
And patience is what Khundadze has in spades. That’s the only way a festival such as MIFF will continue to thrive. And with this much energy on the ground, I’d expect you’ll hear more about it for years to come.
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Georgia is an adventure. And, again, worth that pit stop. Fair warning though, when you hit the countryside, watch out for the cows. They roam free and have right of way. They were even walking on sidewalks in the middle of Mestia. It’s all a little wild for some of us city folk, but super fun. Assuming you watch your step, of course.
For more information about the Mestia International Film Festival, click here.
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