SMILING GEORGIA

What are the costs of the half-truths that politicians tell? In 2012, the Georgian president wanted to make the nation smile. In the race for reelection, the incumbent's party was promising subsidized dental care to the country’s least well off. Across the land, state medical practitioners began removing rotten teeth with the promise of replacements in the months that followed – then the president lost. Through interviews with those worst affected by that campaign, Smiling Georgia tells a story about the whims of political power and the defiance of those who usually hold the least of it – a film short on teeth, yes, but far from toothless.

“Maybe it is a Georgian thing. People in No Name love life. The villagers had a special connection with nature; for me, nature is the crucial being in the film. They are used to living in harsh conditions without losing their sense of humor. They can joke and reflect upon hardships almost like looking at things from a distance, not only when it comes to their teeth, but also a lot of other things. They did understand that they were treated unfairly, but they still went to vote. With the film, I wanted to ask more existential questions about our rights in life. We see trees and beautiful nature there, and we see elections. It made us think about how absurd things are. The film does not give answers, but rather asks questions. It’s about questioning what kind of reality we live in.”

DIRECTOR, SCREENPLAY: Luka Beradze. CINEMATOGRAPHY: Lomero Akhvlediani. EDITING: Nodar Nozadze, Joseph “Soso” Bliadze, Luka Beradze. MUSIC: Alexandre Kordzaia. SOUND: Jascha Viehl. CAST: Nana Papidze, Lamara Samkharadze, Nodar Labadze, Bezhan Labadze. PRODUCERS: Nino Chichua, Anna Khazaradze. CO-PRODUCERS: Eva Blondiau, Elmar Imanov, Sophio Bendiashvili, Bacho Meburishvili. PRODUCTION: 1991 Productions. CO-PRODUCTION: Color of May, Enkeny Films.