Bitter Sugar
A small town in Georgia. Three brothers are huddled together over a video call from their mother, who lives abroad. At times, her voice drops out as she tries to keep a sense of normalcy. It is the daily reality of Nika, Gika, and Levan, who have been left to care for themselves. The only connection to their mother is through this distant phone voice. Their father is in another country. Both parents are absent, trying to provide for the family from elsewhere.
The town where the brothers live is a quiet place that has been left almost empty after its main factory closed its doors. This factory is where most inhabitants of the town worked. Filling this absence from both parents and the empty town, the brothers find ways of re-inventing family dynamics and
relations. The longer their mother is absent, the more the boys become accustomed to fending for themselves, despite the many challenges in front of them, although they wish desperately for her to return.
Levan (12) is the youngest brother and misses his mother a lot. He tries to do the things that she would be proud of, and plays piano intensively, while his middle brother – introverted teen Gika (16) – is trying to be the grown-up of the family but still holds onto his childish dreams. While the eldest brother, Nika (19), is taking on the role of mother. His dream is to become an architect. However, Nika’s dream will cost a lot: he currently faces the question of whether he also must go abroad to earn the money for his studies, which would change the family dynamic once again, especially as it is unlikely that their mother will return.
It is a universal and intimate story of brotherhood. The children are abandoned by parents who are forced to work abroad.
The town where the brothers live is a quiet place that has been left almost empty after its main factory closed its doors. This factory is where most inhabitants of the town worked. Filling this absence from both parents and the empty town, the brothers find ways of re-inventing family dynamics and
relations. The longer their mother is absent, the more the boys become accustomed to fending for themselves, despite the many challenges in front of them, although they wish desperately for her to return.
Levan (12) is the youngest brother and misses his mother a lot. He tries to do the things that she would be proud of, and plays piano intensively, while his middle brother – introverted teen Gika (16) – is trying to be the grown-up of the family but still holds onto his childish dreams. While the eldest brother, Nika (19), is taking on the role of mother. His dream is to become an architect. However, Nika’s dream will cost a lot: he currently faces the question of whether he also must go abroad to earn the money for his studies, which would change the family dynamic once again, especially as it is unlikely that their mother will return.
It is a universal and intimate story of brotherhood. The children are abandoned by parents who are forced to work abroad.
Operation Champion
At 25, Gvantsa's life takes a dark turn. After a car accident, one of her feet became 4 cm shorter. Discovering wheelchair fencing, she gained strength , becoming a fearless disabled athlete. With her teammates, Nina and Irma, she's the world’s wheelchair fencing champion, guided by Coach Malkhazi. Her dream is to become a champion as an individual in a world cup and help her labor worker mother to come back home from Italy.
Fencing opened many doors and possibilities for her. Despite personal challenges and loneliness—living alone with her cats, the loss of her father, and her mother's emigration—fencing has brought success and financial independence, along with a newfound sport family and a reason to live.
But Gvantsa faces a tough decision: surgery could heal her painful foot injury, but it would cost her disabled status and her fencing career. For years, she's endured the pain, but it's getting worse. Her spine has started to deform, but still she seems very determined by knowing the consequences.
On one hand, there's the coach, Gvantsa's 'father' figure, who encourages her to achieve remarkable success, and on the other, there's a young doctor who once saved her life and is now offering to help her recover.
Will she opt for surgery and the chance to recover, or will she continue fencing, risking ending up in a wheelchair? Time is running out!
Fencing opened many doors and possibilities for her. Despite personal challenges and loneliness—living alone with her cats, the loss of her father, and her mother's emigration—fencing has brought success and financial independence, along with a newfound sport family and a reason to live.
But Gvantsa faces a tough decision: surgery could heal her painful foot injury, but it would cost her disabled status and her fencing career. For years, she's endured the pain, but it's getting worse. Her spine has started to deform, but still she seems very determined by knowing the consequences.
On one hand, there's the coach, Gvantsa's 'father' figure, who encourages her to achieve remarkable success, and on the other, there's a young doctor who once saved her life and is now offering to help her recover.
Will she opt for surgery and the chance to recover, or will she continue fencing, risking ending up in a wheelchair? Time is running out!