Before you view a film, think about the effort that goes into making that film…This is exactly where we stand right now – uniting our efforts in order to nurture a new wave of Georgian filmmakers. In the history of Georgian film, there have been countless memorable and thought-provoking scenes that that have given us a rich cinematic heritage. Yet due to the complex and winding path of Georgia’s geopolitical history, the local film scene has recently gone through turmoil stemming from economic, infrastructural and professional difficulties. More than 15 years were lost during the difficult transition from the Soviet planned economy to market economics. The Soviet mind-set did not include the profession of creative producer – production skills disappeared and technical facilities got outdated. It was difficult - barely possible - to retain the country's filmmaking culture. On the other hand, film still is a unique medium that does not simply fade away. As a powerful art form, Georgian cinema remained close to the heart of the cultural sector. Prominent film personalities (Eldar Shengelaya, Otar Iosseliani and others) did not lose hope and lobbied for filmmakers' interests in the early 2000s. The process resulted in a key policy decision taken in 2000 – the establishment of the Georgian National Film Center as a policy institution of public law. This showed the state's commitment to preserving film as a unique cultural field and its readiness to improve Georgian film's position on the creative, technical and economic levels. This is where our story began – or rather restarted – endless hours of working on funding systems, pitching for increased budgets, establishment of internal departments, improving skills and better positioning Georgian film talent. Being a complex art form, the reanimation of Georgian film demanded the full attention and dedication of policy makers, practitioners and creative people. The process is still underway. However, we are now confidently speaking about the present of the Georgian film sector and envisaging a prosperous future. We have reached a level where past history is not the only asset of the film scene; now we are nurturing young talent and trusting them to be ambassadors of the new wave of Georgian filmmakers. "BEST of FILMPRINT 2011" is the story we wish to tell you... It covers one year of film activities in Georgia: GNFC policy decisions, new partnerships and international friendships. You will learn about the early steps of inter-sectoral cooperation of film talent, our strategies for improving local skills and our improved international promotion plan. GNFC is working on a strategy of national film sector development and we are proud to have the Ministry of Culture of Georgia as a lobbying government institution. We do hope that you will believe in us and support our efforts to advance the film sector by expressing our readiness for cultural cooperation internationally, bridging across talent at the national and international levels, and last but not least inviting you to explore the wider artistic scene of Georgia. Thank you for reading our first English-language magazine, BEST OF FILMPRINT 2011!
Nicholas Rurua Minister of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia
Tamara Tatishvili Director of Georgian National Film Center 1