Corn Island

In river Inguri on the border between Georgia and Abkhazia, surges create temporary islands with very fertile soil. An old man and his granddaughter build a hut on one of them, to till the earth and sow corn. In the background, we hear the machine guns from the ongoing conflict.

The tableau of the old man in the rowing boat is reminiscent of Ibsen's character "Terje Vigen" who during famine caused by the British embargo rowed across the Skagerrak for food. The girl stands for innocence, for youth, for what one strives to save.

Corn Island is best compared to poetry where every moment of the taciturn story is part of a bigger whole, an approach to the sublime that you grow to appreciate when you stop thinking and let Ovashvili involve you in the toils of the too old and the too young on transient and dangerous territory. vd

George Ovashvili debuted with the underestimated The Other Bank in 2009 and is now back with a meditation on the human condition with Corn Island. His latest film has won several awards, among them the main award at Karlovy Vary. He holds a degree in acting and film production and has previously directed short films and TV shows.

The director will be present:

15th October 6.30 PM, Victoria Kino
16th October 8.30 PM, Ringen Kino