დედე ([Dede], 2017, Mariam Khatchvani)

This year I have seen three films from Georgia. This is the least successful of them. What is it about?
David and Gegi return "from the war". Gegi once saved the live of David. Going back to their community, Gegi tells David that he fell in love with a girl,but he lost track of her and doesn't even know her name. Soon he will find out that his love interest is David's fiancée, Dina.
The men react both in traditional ways: Gegi is prepared to give up his love and David immediately wants to defend his property. Not to follow the traditional ways might result in a feud, says everybody. David, however, understands at last that Dina despises him. Theirs wouldn't be a happy marriage. He commits suicide and stages it as accident. - Dina's family isn't happy with her decision, but she marries Gegi. Fate chases them and a few years later Gegi dies. Who will now get the custody on their child. The patriarchal society has an answer for every question.
There is a lot of folklore in this film. Actually it is almost like a guide to the patriarch customs in that society. The outer world is almost non-present, only in form of a TV impulses from outside reach those villages - and only if the power supply is working. Dede is somewhat in the tradition of Robert J. Flaherty.
Almost all actors in Dede are amateurs. People are playing themselves. This adds to the authenticity of the film, but unfortunately it does not enhance the artistic quality. Probably you need a director with greater skills or talent to make amateurs work. It is painful to watch a film with overacting and stilted dialogues.
5/10

მძევლები ([Hostages], 2017, Rezo Gigineishvili)

Hostages is built on true events. In 1983 a group of young people attempted to hijack a plane to get to the side of the Black Sea, to Turkey. We get glimpses of Georgian everyday life: the underground market for Beatles LP's and American cigarettes. The omnipresence of KGB, the general distrust from the authorities. And of course the lack of mobility, where even a visit to East Germany is a priviledge. All this is a nuisance, but we don't see real oppression. Nobody seems to be in real danger to lose their lives, actually they seem to be better off than the average citizen in that society. Nevertheless they plan to hijack a plane.
In short, I don't see enough motivation for our protagonists to leave their families and careers behind. They appear unthinking. Their original plan fails, when they realize that they won't be the only passengers. Nevertheless they go through with their enterprise. They didn't know that the pilot is armed. The youthful folly becomes a deadly reality.
As a coda we see the staged reactions at the university of the co-students, demanding  maximum punishment, even think that the parents deserve to be put on trial. The most tragic figure is a priest-to-be who is tricked to take the role of the spiritual mentor of the hijackers and who is sentenced to death. This is the only innocent victim.
Although this is an interesting look into the production of a new film nation, it is overall not rally satisfying.
5/10