Mariam Khatchvani among Six Best Directors of the Cannes Film Festival
By Mariam Chanishvili
Thursday, February 15
Georgian director Mariam Khatchvani was selected among six best film directors of Cannes Film Festival
In the framework of the Cinefondation Residence program, selected directors from around the world are invited to Paris for 6 months to work on the project.
Khatchvani will work on her new feature “Nene” in the Cinefondation Residence program of the festival starting in March.
She will work with the other selected directors: Cesar Acevedo and Santiago Lozano from Colombia, Chia-Hsin Liu from Taiwan, Min Bahadur Bham from Nepal and Sara Kern from Slovenia in Paris.
Khatchvani, 31, born in Ushguli, is a Georgian film director and screenwriter. She graduated from the Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Film University, Tbilisi in 2008 and has directed many short documentaries.
Dede, which is a 2017 Georgian Drama film premiered in Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and screened in East of West section, where it won Special Mention prize. Film was made by several companies: Film and Music Entertainment (Sam Taylor, Mike Downey), MP Film Production (Igor A. Nola), Montauk Film Production; in association with Jaja Film Productions (Conrad Alleblas, Jamillah Van Der Hulst), Dutch Film Club; with support of Doha Film Institute, Georgian National Film Center.
The movie tells a story of a girl from Georgia’s Svaneti region, where strict traditions are still preserved. The film was shot in the historic region of UNESCO's World Heritage Status in Svaneti, Georgia’s highland. Dede is a drama about love and the ancient traditions, that still form the lives of local people.
“Nene” is on its way to gaining international success.
Cannes Film Festival will take place on May 8-19. The head of jury will be Cate Blanchett, famous Australian actress and theatre director.
