Name: Motsurave
Genre: Drama
Released: 1985-03-14
Duration: 1 h 45 min
Rating: 6.9
Cast: Elguja Burduli, Ruslan Mikaberidze, Baadur Tsuladze

Excellent example of golden age of Georgian cinema

I saw this movie years ago on television and immediately felt I was watching a masterpiece. Expressive use of colour, splendid camera-work and editing, a brutal story of Stalinist repression told in an almost cheerful and poetical way. The characters and acting remind one of Fellini at his best. The main story in the film is the tale of a 20th century family line of swimmers who all attempt to swim some near-impossible distance in the Black Sea. But it is all the history around these efforts which make the film what it is: a masterpiece.

Other Georgian filmmakers of the period, more or less related in style, are the older Sergei Parajanov, of Armenian descent, Otar Iosseliani who went on to become famous in France and Tengiz Abuladze. The latter is closest to this film; an interesting introduction on him is a comment to his 'Natvris khe' (Wishing Tree, 1976), another masterpiece.

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

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A family of swimmers distinguish themselves in sport but run into trouble with Stalin's police, in this period portrait of how even the light side of life was poisoned by terror.

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The Swimmer

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