In the hot summer of 1917, the nineteen-year-old peasant Georgy Zakareishvili left his village in search of work and, settling on a French ship, soon found himself in Paris, where he married a Frenchwoman. Modest wealth, beloved wife, sons and a faithful friend helped him to endure separation from his homeland. When the opportunity came to his homeland, George was already old and could not postpone the upcoming meeting with his native Georgia. He tried to convey his love to his grandson George: he sang folk songs, taught Georgian, talked about the people of his village. And now, in fulfillment of his grandfather’s orders, George the Younger took his ashes to his homeland...
Acting
David Abashidze carries decades of unspoken longing in every gesture.
Cinematography
Georgia's mountains finally revealed as spiritual destination, not just geography.
Director
Guguli Mgeladze
David Abashidze
Giorgi Zakareishvili
Joseph (Soso) Jachvliani
Young Giorgi Zakareishvili
Ya Parulava
Young Madleni
Aleksandr Medzmariashvili
Young Henry
Laurence Ragon
Madleni
Nugzar Kurashvili
Henry
Gogi Gegechkori
Samson Jandieri
Merab Ninidze
Malkhaz Gorgiladze
Mate
Edisher Magalashvili
Passenger of Train
Levan Abashidze
Georges
Igor Dadiani
Niaz Diasamidze
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Made during glasnost, this was among the first Georgian films to explicitly examine emigration as tragedy rather than betrayal of Soviet ideals.
The real David Abashidze was a legendary Georgian actor who insisted on performing his own singing; those folk songs are his actual voice, recorded live on set.
SU
