DOCUMENTARY: LIKE THE AIR TO BREATHE

Here are an excellent short critique by aquafilm

LIKE THE AIR TO BREATHE

Documentary by Ruth Olshan

Georgia is situated in the borderland between occident and orient. This is the place where film director Ruth Olshan takes us in her first documentary feature film “Like Air to Breath” (“Wie Luft zum Atmen”). Just like their historical roots, the Georgians’ folk culture is multi-layered. The term Georgia is used in a general and unpretentious manner as is common for locals. “Our most important goal is to impart the love for our people and our culture to the children from the beginning,” says one of the protagonists. Dancing, singing and music play an important role for them. One of the characteristics of Georgian singing culture is vocal polyphony. A complex structure forms the basis for the polyphonic choral singing.
Ruth Olshan in her film portrays musicians who work with different approaches: a male choir searching and cultivating old folk songs in the Caucasus region, a female choir, a school dance company and musicians who enhance Georgian folk music. There is a common denominator that links the diverse protagonists in Olshan’s film: Singing, dancing and music are crucial elements of their lifestyle. Music is as important as “air to breath,” explains the director of the female choir . The subtle camera work discreetly catches moments and spontaneous encounters, showing that the rehearsals and the singing brings moments to these women where they are taken away from their normal course of life. For life in Rustavi, a small town near Tiflis, seems bleak. The industry is dead, the unemployment rate is enormous. You ask yourself how people can live. The choir women’s beauty and positive energy exude an affirmative sign of life, even in mournful moments. Men and women sing and dance both joy and sorrow off their chest. In Georgia, music seems to be omnipresent, almost existential. Even if a young singer does not think folk music is “sexy”, he still gets hooked. It gets under his skin. The film pays tribute to this fascination, vitality, and spiritedness.

Theatrical release throughout Germany: October, 19th 2006
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Georgien im Kino
Am 19. Oktober startet Ruth Olshans WIE LUFT ZUM ATMEN deutschlandweit in den Kinos. Eine Übersicht aller Kinos, die den Film zeigen werden, findet sich hier.

>>> LEIPZIG: 22.10. 11.30h FilmpremierePassage Kino, Hainstr. 19a, 04109 Leipzig

>>> Eine Reise durch Georgien auf den Spuren eines musikalischen Welterbes