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PRODUCTION UK / Georgia

Nick Agiashvili to direct Shindisi

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- CANNES 2016: Film and Music Entertainment pact with Independent Film Studio, 20 Steps Production and Lakumi in Georgia to produce the feature film starring Merab Ninidze

Nick Agiashvili to direct Shindisi
Director Nick Agiashvili

LA-based director Nick Agiashvili has been confirmed to direct the UK-Georgian co-production Shindisi [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
, to be produced by Independent Film Studio, 20 Steps and Lakumi in Georgia in partnership with the UK’s Film and Music Entertainment. Merab Ninidze, well known for his appearance in Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies, stars, backed by Misha Gomiashvili (seen in Mohsen Makhmalbaf’s The President [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mohsen Makhmalbaf
film profile
]
), Dato Bakhtadze (star of Timur Bekmambetov’s Beh-Hur), and Ia Sukhitashvili (Blind Dates [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Levan Koguashvili
film profile
]
, Smile).

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Agiashvili, best known for his Tbilisi, I Love You, A Green Story and The Harsh Life of Veronica Lambert, will direct from a screenplay by Irakli Solomanashvili. Based on a true story of the Russian invasion of Georgia, the film takes place in the village of Shindisi during the August war and changes the life of an ordinary Georgian peasant forever. In the heart of Shindisi, heavily armed Russian military unit occupying the village, breaks the promise of a peaceful corridor given to Georgians and opens fire on Georgian soldiers lured into the ambush. One part of the Georgian soldiers take fire on themselves enabling the twenty-five fellow warriors to leave the battlefield. In the unequal battle Ivanov, the high-ranking Russian officer fails to reach desired goal, the number of casualties among Georgian soldiers is significantly lower than he had supposed. Ivanov’s revenge grows into hysterics; he seeks for wounded Georgian soldiers on the battlefield and refuses to even bury corpses of the Georgians.

The film begins shooting in Shindisi on the actual location of the original events in September. The producer is Edmond Minashvili, along 20 Steps’ Vova Katcharava and  Lakumi’s Konstantin Mindia Esadze (who doubles as DOP) and F&ME’s Mike Downey and Samantha Taylor. The score will be composed by Gia Kancheli.

F&ME have long been active in the Caucasus, and this is their fourth official co-production with Georgia following Ben HopkinsLost in Karastan [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
, Venice Orizzonti opener The President by Mohsen Makhmalbaf and Mariam Katchvani’s Dede all in partnership with 20 Steps Production. The movie will benefit from Georgian National Film Centre’s film industry incentive scheme (20-25 % cash rebate), launched in January 2016 to give a much welcomed boost to the local service and production industry.

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