Directed by Tinatin Kajrishvili, drama, 100 min, eng subtitles, 16+
Written by Tinatin Kajrishvili, Basa Janikashvili
With Levan Berikashvili, George Babluani, Mari Kitia, Gia Burjanadze
On the main square of a small mining town stands a cross with a saint, regarded by the locals as their protector. A Jesus-like figure for the miners (even equipped with a headlamp). One day, the cross is taken down for repair and the statue vanishes. When, subsequently, a mysterious mute stranger arrives, the residents put two and two together. Some start to speculate about whether he´ll be also able to perform miracles, while others worry about the vacated cross.
Packaged in satire, absurdity and pathos, while juggling with the topics of bureaucracy, politics and religion, this is a gorgeously photographed and wonderfully ambivalent black-and-white parable about people and faith.
The film premiered this summer and is Georgia's submission for the Academy Awards.