This year's theme, chosen by 14 countries, is "Cinema – A Chronicle of History." Georgian audiences will be presented with films preserved in the archives of the USA, Czech Republic, Malta, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Croatia, Poland, Estonia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Peru, and Moldova.
The film festival will take place from September 17 to 20, 2024, in the National Archives' cinema hall and will open with Giorgi Shengelaia's film "Alaverdi" (1962), whose uncensored version was transferred to the National Archives a few months ago. The original film is preserved on film stock, which was kept in the director's family. The festival will close with the second film of the Georgian program, Nana Mchedlidze's "The First Swallow" (1975), presented by the National Film Center of Georgia. The screening is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of actor Dodo Abashidze's birth.
This year's film festival will feature a panel discussion in which representatives from various countries' film institutions will discuss the topic "Cinema as Cultural Heritage, National Identity, and Social Context," sharing experiences and perspectives on the importance of film archives and the challenges in this field.
The National Archives of Georgia established the International Festival of Archival Films in 2022. Attendance is free, and films will be shown in their original language with English subtitles.
Event link: https://www.facebook.com/events/425761426664001. Information about the planned screenings is also available at this link: https://archive.gov.ge/ge/movies.