My Grandmother
| My Grandmother | |
|---|---|
Lobby card | |
| Directed by | Kote Mikaberidze |
| Written by | Kote Mikaberidze Siko Dolidze Giorgi Mdivani |
| Starring | Aleksandre Takaishvili Bella Chernova Evgeniy Ovanov Akaki Khorava |
| Cinematography | Anton Polikevich Vladimir Poznan |
Production company | JSC "Sakhkinmretsvi" |
Release date |
|
| Country | Soviet Union (Georgian SSR) |
| Language | Silent (Georgian intertitles) |
My Grandmother (Georgian: ნათლიმამა, Russian: Моя бабушка) is a 1929 Soviet Georgian comedy directed by Kote Mikaberidze[1]. Filmed in 1928[2], the film was banned as "anti-Soviet" upon its 1929 release, shelved for 39 years, and not widely screened again until its 1976 restoration by Leila Gordeladze.[3] The film is noted for its Expressionist sets by designer Irakli Gamrekeli and its satirical attitude towards bureaucracy and red tape.
Plot
After being fired, an incompetent bureaucrat must search out a "grandmother" (a benefactor among the executives) to give him a letter of recommendation for a new job.
Cast
- Aleksandre Takaishvili as The Bureaucrat
- Bella Chernova as The Bureaucrat's Wife
- Evgeniy Ovanov as The Doorman
- Akaki Khorava as Laborer
- Mikhail Abesadze
- G. Absaliamova
- Konstantin Lavretski
Production
In his memoirs, director Kote Mikaberidze stated that "I was directing a satirical film, the aim of which was to denounce and deride bureaucracy, petty bourgeoisie, and protectionism. With these aims in mind, I was trying to discover new and sharp ways of cinematographic expression because a simple "slavish illustration" of the script was not satisfying for me as a creative person."[4]
References
- ^ "ჩემი ბებია" [My Grandmother]. ეროვნული ფილმოგრაფია (in Georgian). Retrieved 2026-02-23.
- ^ Dolidze, Zviad (2019). "The Unknown Masterpiece of Georgian Silent Cinema (In Connection with 90th Anniversary of the Film "My Grandmother")". Revista ARTA. 28 (2): 64–67 – via Openscience.
- ^ Tavadze, Sopio (2018). "Expressionistic Trends in Georgian Cinematography in 20s of XX c. ("My Grandmother" by Kote Miqaberidze)" (PDF). Berıdze, Khatuna. East European Multicultural Space 2018 Proceedings of the International Conference. 1: 133–136 – via Researchgate.
- ^ Dumbadze, Soso; Dzandzava, Nino, eds. (2017). Kote Miqaberidze (in Georgian). Tbilisi: Sa.Ga. p. 141.
External links
- My Grandmother at IMDb
- My Grandmother is available for free viewing at the Georgian National Film Center's Vimeo page