GEORGIA & SOUTH CAUCASUS: May 2008

Saturday, May 31, 2008

MUSIC: Third CD from TUTARCHELA

NEW - Price pro CD: 15,-EUR (+ Porto)
to order: Ralph.Haelbig@googlemail.com

ZEITUNG: Tutarchela in der deutschen Presse

Friday, May 30, 2008

ART: Transkaukazja 2007 in Poland

Tarnskaukazja is the Festival of Caucasian Culture. On this movie you can watch a little fragment of the Georgian multimedia-art-show (music, video-art, media-art). Curators: Rusiko Oat & Wato Tsereteli - Warsaw, Poland - 2007

From: wlodekkk

Transkaukazja - children from Chechenya and Ingushetia
Transkaukazja 2007 - caucasian festival, outdoor concert, www.transkaukazja.pl/2007

From: gwiezdnamatylda

EXHIBITION: Opening the Exhibition from Nino Biniashvili in Tbilisi, 06-01-08

Interesting story for me: Time ago I saw Ninos work in the internet. She is Georgian and living in Israel now. I posted her work on my blog. We wrote each other and had sometimes a chat. Later my friend Nina from Tbilisi asked me for the contact to Nino Biniashvili. And now: I'm very glad that Nino Biniashvili can open her exhibition in Tbilisi. Thanks a lot to all!

NEW ART CAFE
www.newart.org.ge

31, V. Orbeliani str.
Tbilisi 0105 Georgia
Tel.: 995 32 987544
995 99 720906

NEWS: Georgia News Digest 05-30-08

Thursday, May 29, 2008

BLOG: Neuer Blog von Nicolas Landru. (Nicolas Landru - Journalisme au Caucase)

Mein Freund Nicolas Landru - ein französischer Journalist und Experte für Fragen des Kaukasus, Mitherausgeber von www.caucaz.com - bleibt noch bis Ende Juni in der Region.

Er hat zusammen mit Hans-Heiner Buhr manches in französisch übersetzt. Da caucaz.com seit letzter Woche aus unerfindlichen Gründen technische Probleme hat, hat er seine Artikel zusammen gesammelt, und auf seinen eigenen Blog gesetzt: http://nicolaslandru.blogspot.com

Zur Zeit füllt er noch diesen Blog mit seinen Schriften und Fotos , (bisher ist nicht alles online, und die aktuellsten Sachen sind am Ende), aber nach ein paar Tagen wird er aktuell sein.

Nicolas Landrus Blog ist ein Überblick über seine schriftlichen Produktionen im Kaukasus.

NEWS: 29 May 08 | Caucasus Reporting Service 446

Georgian Opposition Plans Boycott
Political standoff continues as opposition plans to boycott new parliament. By Tamar Khorbaladze in Tbilisi (CRS No. 446 29-May-08)
Armenian War Vets Still in Jail
Karabakh war veterans’ association under pressure after arrests. By Diana Markosian in Yerevan (CRS No. 446 29-May-08)

PHOTOGRAPHY: Dinghies in Batumi. By Lela Meparishvili.

Photo am 27. Mai 2008 von Lela Meparishvili

COMMENT: Stellungnahme des Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights der OSCE zu den Parlamentswahlen vom 21. Mai in Georgien

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, liebe Südkaukasus-Interessierte,

anbei die erste Stellungnahme des Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights der OSCE zu den Parlamentswahlen vom 21. Mai in Georgien.

INTERNATIONAL ELECTION OBSERVATION MISSION
Georgia — Parliamentary Elections, 21 May 2008
STATEMENT OF PRELIMINARY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS

Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Walter Kaufmann
-------------------------------------------

Walter Kaufmann
Director
Heinrich Boell Foundation
Regional Office South Caucasus
5, Radiani str., 0179 Tbilisi, Georgia
T: +995-32-227705
F: +995-32-912897
E: kaufmann@boell.ge
www.boell.ge

NEWS: Georgia News Digest 05-29-08

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

ARTIKEL: Heller Mondschein bringt Wärme.

Frauenchor Tutarchela aus Georgien begeistert in der Gosecker Schlosskirche - Besonderes Repertoire

Eigentlich hätten die Zuhörer keine Wolldecke über den Beinen gebraucht. So warm waren die Gesangstöne, die Tutarchela (Mondschein) in der kühlen Gosecker Schlosskirche erklingen ließ.

Von Stefan Thomé, Mitteldeutsche Zeitung, 21. Mai 2008

Der ganze Artikel >>>

Sebastian Pank (links) vom Schloss Goseck war einer der vielen Unterstützer unserer Tour, die es erst ermöglicht haben, dass Tutarchela durch Deutschland reisen konnte. Mit dem Antschis Chati Chor machte er vor Jahren eine Reise durch Georgien. Dabei nahm er diesen Chor an verschiedenen Orten auf, und brachte ein wunderbares Doppel-Album bei Raumklang heraus.

Seitdem Sebastian Pank in Georgien war, bemüht er sich immer wieder den Kontakt zum Südkaukasus zu halten.

Tutarchela dankt ihm hier auf diesem Weg!

Tutarchela - Female Singer Choir from Rustavi (Album)

EINLADUNG: Die Rolle Berg-Karabachs in der Entwicklung des Suedkaukasus.

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,

in der Anlage übersenden wir Ihnen das Programm eines Symposiums, das die Deutsche Gesellschaft für Osteuropakunde in Zusammenarbeit mit der "Vertretung der Republik Nagorno-Karbakh.Artsakh" und der Europäischen Akademie Berlin veranstaltet.
Das Symposium und die anschliessende Abendveranstaltung stehen unter dem Titel "Die Rolle Berg-Karabachs in der Entwicklung des Suedkaukasus" und finden am Donnerstag,
den 5. Juni um 15.00 Uhr im Rumaenischen Kulturinstitut, Koenigsallee 20a statt. Die Abendveranstaltung mit einem Gespraech beginnt um 18 Uhr.

Unbeschadet der Frage des Status von Berg-Karabach ist es wichtig, sich mit der Entwicklung des Suedkaukasus zu beschaeftigen, um in dem Konflikt zu Loesungen zu kommen, die den Interessen aller Rechnung tragen.
In der Pause zwischen Symposium und dem Gespraech der Abendveranstaltung wird ein kleiner Imbiss gereicht. Bitte haben Sie Verstaendnis dafuer, dass wir aus organisatorischen Gruenden um eine formlose, aber verbindliche Anmeldung bitten muessen.
Über Ihre Teilnahme wuerden wir uns freuen. Bitte richten Sie Ihre Anmeldung an die Europäische Akademie Berlin per Fax (030/89 59 51 95) oder per E-Mail (eab@eab-berlin.de).
Fuer Rueckfragen steht Ihnen Herr Stapel von der Europäischen Akademie per E-Mail p3@eab-berlin.de oder unter der Telefonnummer 895951-33 zur Verfügung. Bitte beachten Sie den Tagungsort!

Programm >>>

15:00 Uhr
Die Rolle und Bedeutung Berg-Karabachs in der Entwicklung des Südkaukasus -Symposium

PROF. DR. OTTO LUCHTERHANDT
Abteilung für Ostrechtsforschung
Universität Hamburg

PROF. DR. STEFAN WOLFF
Centre for International Crisis Management and Conflict Resolution
School of Politics and International Relations
University of Nottingham

DR. UWE HALBACH
Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik SWP

Moderation: PROF. DR. ECKART D. STRATENSCHULTE
Leiter Europäische Akademie Berlin
anschließend Fragen

18:00 Uhr
Beitrag zum Thema ASHOT GHULYAN
Parlamentspräsident Berg-Karabach

anschließend Gespräch mit DR. UWE HALBACH
Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik SWP

Programmleitung:
Prof. Dr. Eckart D. Stratenschulte, Europäische Akademie Berlin

Programmassistent:
Sören Stapel, Europäische Akademie Berlin

Mit freundlichen Gruessen
Dr. Heike Dörrenbächer
Geschäftsführerin
----
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Osteuropakunde e.V.
German Association for East European Studies
Schaperstr. 30
D-10719 Berlin
Tel.: +49 (0) 30 / 21 47 84 12
Fax: +49 (0) 30 / 21 47 84 14
E-Mail: info@dgo-online.org
Homepage: www.dgo-online.org
----

PHOTOGALLERY: Zerbombte Wohnblocks in Grosny. By Marcel Meyer

Teilansicht eines zerstörten Wohnblocks im Zentrum von Grosny.

29. April 2008 von Marcel Mayer

Reportage: Tschetschenien (Album)

VORTRAG: 12 Jahre Tschetschenien

Lew Kopelew Forum Köln
Donnerstag, 29. Mai 2008, 19.00 Uhr
Barbara Gladysch berichtet über ihre Erfahrungen und Eindrücke aus Tschetschenien von 1996 bis 2008

Moderation: Sonia Mikich, Moderatorin und Leiterin der ARD/WDR
Monitor-Redaktion

Eröffnung der Fotoausstellung:
"Zwischen Wiederaufbau und Kriegserbe. Bilder aus den russischen Kaukasusrepubliken Tschetschenien, Inguschetien, und Nordossetien"
Eine Ausstellung des Deutsch-Russischen Austausches e.V. Berlin mit Unterstützung der Marion-Dönhoff-Stiftung

Dauer der Ausstellung: 30.05. - 18.06.2008.
Besichtigung der Ausstellung frei

Barbara Gladysch kam 1996 zusammen mit russischen Soldatenmüttern und Chris Hunter, dem Begründer von CPCD - Center for Peacemaking und Community Development in Moskau (später auch in Tschetschenien und Inguschetien), zum ersten Mal nach Tschetschenien. Im Jahr 1997 war sie dort OSCE-Wahlbeobachterin und gründete gemeinsam mit Hunter und tschetschenischen Freunden im Mai das Projekt "Kleiner Stern": Rehabilitationseinrichtungen für traumatisierte Kinder in Tschetschenien.
Auf ihren bislang 20 Reisen in verschiedene, auch entlegene, "vergessene" Gebiete Tschetscheniens versucht sie die Lebensbedingungen der Menschen zu erleichtern und deren Hoffnung auf Heilung und Frieden zu stärken.
Der in jüngster Zeit forcierte Bauboom in Grosny lässt in rasantem Tempo äußere Kriegsspuren verschwinden. Aber der "mit Putin-Porträts zugehängte bleierne Frieden, der in Grosny eingekehrt ist" (Sainap Gaschajewa in der NZZ am 12.01.2008) vermag nicht die unvernarbten
körperlichen und seelischen Wunden der Menschen zu überdecken.
Im Januar 2006 verweigerte Barbara Gladysch die Annahme des Bundesverdienstkreuzes 1. Klasse aus Protest gegen die deutsche Asylpolitik und die Politik gegenüber Tschetschenien.
Mit der Auszeichnung sollte ihr Engagement für Flüchtlinge und Asylsuchende in Deutschland, für die "Tschernobylarbeit" in der Republik Belarus und die Hilfeleistung für kriegstraumatisierte Kinder in Tschetschenien gewürdigt werden. In einem Brief an den
Bundespräsidenten erläuterte Barbara Gladysch ihre Gründe für die Ablehnung der Auszeichnung.

UKB: 5,- ? / 2,5 ? LKF-Mitglieder, Schüler, Studenten und ALG-II-Empfänger

Lew Kopelew Forum e.V.
Neumarkt 18a, 50667 Köln, Neumarkt Passage
Tel.: 00492212576767, Fax: 00492212576768
www.kopelew-forum.de

PAINTING: map-painting. 200x150 cm, 2008 .By Hans Heiner Buhr

27. Mai 2008 von Hans Heiner Buhr

NEWS: Georgia News Digest 05-28-08

PHOTOGRAPHY: After the Election. Photos by Gela Bedianashvili

Photos 27. Mai 2008 von Gela Bedianashvili

FILM: ‘Tbilisi-Tbilisi’: A renaissance for Georgian filmmaking

By Rusudan Gvazava, Georgian Times , May 26

Although during the Soviet era, Georgia was well known for its filmmaking, after the fall of the Union, filmmaking in Georgia almost entirely halted. According to Gaga Chkheidze, deputy director of the Georgian National film center, since 1993, Georgian movies have not taken part any international film festivals.

“It may come as a surprise to you, but in spite of the difficult and chaotic period of the 90’s, about 60 films were made… though none of them are high level movies,” Chkheidze said. Now, two films are being marked as the revival of Georgian cinema: Tbilisi-Tbilisi (2005), a Georgian National Film Center production, directed and written by Levan Zakareishvili, and Rezo Esadze’s The Roof. Both movies took several years to complete.

Zakareishvili’s film was even nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Film, although at the last moment its nomination was withdrawn. In spite of this, the director became a member of the American Movie Academy. His film received 15 awards at various film festivals. Tbilisi-Tbilisi first gained fame at the Cinema Shock festival of CIS countries, where it won the award for Best Direction.

The film also won the Nika Award from the Russian Cinema Academy. Zakareishvili's second film about his native Tbilisi comes 13 years after his feature debut film, They, the first Georgian movie shown at the Cannes film festival. The war in Abkhazia and the economic crisis and political chaos of the corruption rampant years under the rule of Eduard Shevardnadze, during which time Tbilisi-Tbilisi was shot, have left their mark.

The film is a little rough around the edges, but has an angry realism that is immediate and compelling. Tbilisi-Tbilisi is a powerful, personal work, which turns an unforgiving narrative eye on the harsh realities of life on the streets of his native Tbilisi. Among those struggling to survive, is Dato, a hungry young filmmaker fleshing out ideas for his next project.

As Dato witnesses the marketplace his city has become, he runs into his old film teacher, now reduced to selling margarine just to survive. Also scraping by is Nona, a mute girl whose parents were killed and who now must beg for food and medicine for her sick brother; and Tedo, a young pickpocket who aggressively takes on the challenges of life.

These tales are skillfully interwoven to reveal the poverty, corruption, and class divide of contemporary life in Georgia. The idea for the film was unveiled in 1996, but because of problems with the Shevardnadze government over content that was hardly flattering, the film took six years to shoot.

The film finished in 2005, after Shevardnadze had been driven from office. “Tbilisi-Tbilisi was well received outside the country and helped to alert the film world to the beginnings of a renaissance in Georgian cinema,” Matthew Collin, from Guardian.co.uk said.

Before his death, Zakareishvili worked as a professor of film at Tbilisi’s Shota Rustaveli Cinema and Theatre Institute. Right up until the last days of his life, he worked on the film Caucasus Bestseller dedicated to the April 9 tragedy in Tbilisi, when the Soviet army dispersed an anti-Soviet demonstration, resulting in twenty deaths and hundreds of injured.

In an interview with The Georgian Times a few weeks before he died, Zakareishvili said he had never been the favorite of any government because, "I always tell the truth in my films. However, I do not want to talk about politics. When I go to Moscow, I always say loudly in the cinema circle not to speak about politics. I say let’s speak about films and women."

Zakerishvili leaves two sons and his film Caucasus Bestseller, continues to be directed by his youngest son Tengo Zakareishvili, a young film director who has done a number of short films. His other son, Soso Zakareishvili, has also become a movie director, although he claims that his father never wanted his sons to work in the film industry, because he did not want them to experience the same difficulties he did trying to make films.In an interview with The Georgian Times, Soso talks about his father’s film, Tbilisi-Tbilisi, and the project he was working on in his final days, Caucasus Bestseller.

G.T.: Can you tell us when your father began to shoot Tbilisi-Tbilisi? What was the process of making this film? What kind of difficulties did you face?

Soso Zakareishvili: The Idea for Tbilisi- Tbilisi was unveiled in 1996, but as soon as the government found out what the script was about, the sequesters began. When there was money, they used to say him, ‘It is not for you, you have to wait’, etc. thus it took six years to shoot. The original name of the film was going to be ‘Tbilisi-Istanbul’ as Tbilisi was like a market place and most goods were from the Istanbul. Later it changed and was renamed Tbilisi-Tbilisi there is also one card if you see in the film two children a mute girl Nona and his brother from Abkhazia whose parents were killed during the war and who now must beg for food and medicine an live on the train .

One day, when Nona comes to the train the train goes and she worries very much, as she thinks that she lost her brother, but the train goes nowhere and stops on the railway as the train goes nowhere besides Tbilisi. My father used to say that the title referred to a destination sign he once saw on a train, indicating that the city was, in those days, going nowhere. “‘Tbilisi-Tbilisi’ is an inscription on the train which means that the train does not go anywhere. I am anxious to see another inscription on the trains very soon: Tbilisi-Sukhumi, Tbilisi-Istanbul, or Tbilisi-Paris. I am a supporter of friendship,” Levan would say.

G.T.: This film also was nominated for an Oscar, and was among 5 nominated films, but at the last moment it was withdrawn and replaced by a Vietnamese film. Was he angry about this?

S.Z.: The film was chosen from 600 foreign films and was among 5 nominated films. He said that such big festivals usually have political character. At that time, America chose to support Vietnam. However, they called him later and invited him to become a member of the American Movie Academy and he did it. He wanted to be useful to his country, to young people, and to his family.

G.T.: Did he expect the film to be so successful?

S.Z.: No, he really did not expect it. However, to be honest, the problems shown in the film worried him so much that he wanted the film to be shown to the international audience, as well as Georgia to learn them about life conditions in Georgia during the Shevardnadze period. In the last days of his life, he was working on the film Caucasus Bestseller, and the theme concerned my father very much: the events on April 9, 1989...

He said he wanted to find out what happened to the survivors; what changes had been made in their lives; which had turned to religion or politics, and who had turned to violence. Bu the lack of funds was distressing for my father.

FILM: Georgian cinema one hundred years old

By Rusudan Gvazava, Georgian Times , May 26

Georgia has been making films for one hundred years. Before the fall of the Soviet Union, Georgian cinema was known across Soviet blocs as being vibrant and creative. The Italian director Federico Fellini once described it as "a strange phenomenon, special, philosophically light, sophisticated, and at the same time, childishly pure.” But the economic breakdown which followed Georgian independence has made it very difficult to make films, although recently, experts say that quality Georgian filmmaking is beginning to return.

Georgian film production began at nearly the same time as European cinema. The first film festival took place in Tbilisi in 1896. In honor of the 100th anniversary of Georgian cinema, a number of exhibitions, festive events and showings of Georgian silent films have been planned. “A festive opening for Georgian cinema’s jubilee celebration will be held at Rustaveli Theater,” Nino Anjaparidze, a public relations department representative for the Georgian National Film Center, said, inviting the public to attend.

According to her, the Georgian filmmaking has begun to revive. “It turned out that the anniversary coincided with the 60 year anniversary of a well-known Georgian film Keto and Kote by Vakhtang Tabliashvili and Shalva Gedevanishvili,” Anjaparidze says.“

The film festival, will also consist of showing this film and we have newly reconstructed the film and a documentary about the period when this film was made is in the works by independent company ‘Kiono Project’ headed by Archil Geloavni,” stated Anjaparidze.

Experts widely consider 1908 the year cinema was born in Georgia, when film directors Dighmelov and Amashukeli made their first experimental shots. In 1912, Amashukeli shot the first full-length documentary movie, Akakis Mogzauroba [Akaki's Journey], about poet Akaki Tsereteli. The film was unparalleled by any other movie in world at that time as to its theme, length and artistic level. The first full-range feature film in Georgia, Kristine was shot from 1916 to 1918. The film was directed by Aleksandre Tsutsunava. In 1924 “Three Lives” by Perestiani was a great success - the film was the first attempt to provide psychological insight into the heroes.

In the mid 1920s, theatre, literature and art professionals came to the cinema. When Samanishvili's Stepmother (Marjanishvili) and Khanuma (Tsutsunava) appeared on the screen, they marked the beginning of a new genre of comedy film. Films of this period were very popular due to the first Georgian film star, Nato Vachnadze {from such films as The Story of Tariel Mklavadze, Who can Be Blamed, and others), the country's first silver screen diva.

Next came a period of new genres and style in the Georgian Cinema. One of the best representatives of the generation was Nikolai Shengelaia. Though he lived in Stalin’s epoch, watching his films we feel the directors active strive for innovation and artistic expressions in his films. Now, N. Shengelaias and N. Vachnadzes sons Eldar and Giorgi Shengelaia are also famous directors of the Georgian cinema.

The film My Grandmother by Kote Mikaberidze (1929) was also a crucial turning point for Georgian film. In this movie, for the first time in Georgian and Soviet cinematography, the principles of expressionism appeared.

The film was forbidden to appear on the screen, but many years later the film was restored and shown in La Rochelle. Soviet ideology was so pressing in the 1930s that little innovation took place. Only some films of the period were noteworthy: Siko Dolidze's Dariko (1936), David Rondeli's Lost Paradise (1937), and a few others.

Keti Dolidze a famous Georgian film director and a daughter of a well-known Georgian film director, says that she must congratulate the anniversary to the Georgian cinema in the past, and that nowadays, “Georgian cinema is in very bad condition because our government puts little money into cinema..

It is very difficult to revive after 15 years of falling and how can we overtake European cinema and even Russian cinema, as they have already produced 600 hundred movies this year because their government gives them enough money to produce films…

Businessmen will never put money into this field because if they put money in, they will have to pay more taxes on it,” Keti Dolidze claimed.

The 1970s is considered the Golden Age for Georgian cinema due to the works of directors such as Eldar and Giorgi Shengelaya, Otar Iosseliani, Rezo Chkheidze, Sergei Parajanov, and Tenguiz Abuladze, although this same period of time is also thought to be the most complicated period for Georgian Cinema. Film directors often had to use symbols, metaphors, and allegories to skirt Soviet regulations. Regardless of the influence of the soviet Union ideology, film directors from the 60-70s preserved the essentials that make up the Georgian cinema.

Chkheidze and his classmate Tenghiz Abuladze, a seminal figure in Georgian cinema, collaborated on several projects, and they directed their first feature film Magdanas Lurja [Magdana’s Donkey] in 1955, which won the 1956 Golden Palm award for best fiction film. The films of this period followed the principles of neo-realism aesthetics. Abuladze's artistic cinematography and metaphorical thinking is further developed in his films A Tree of Wishes (1976) and Repentance (1984). Repentance turned out to be the most important piece of art of the 1980s in Georgia, also known as the ‘perestroika’ period.

Mimino is a 1977 film by Georgian director Giorgi Daneliya made on Mosfilm, starring Vakhtang Kikabidze and Frunzik Mkrtchyan. It is a Soviet Era comedy, which won the 1977 Golden Prize at the Moscow International Film Festival. The writer/director Georgi Danelia and his co/writer, Victoria Tokareva created a funny, insightful, and at times, sad story with real, earthy, decent, and very human heroes.

Short films have an original and peculiar place among Georgian films and the first master of this genre was Michael Kobakhidze, who built silent miniatures according to the principles of sound film. His film Wedding (1965) won the Grand Prize at Obesrhausen. And Umbrella (1967) won Grand Prize in Krakow. His first film was Alaverdoba (1963).

Several film makers moved abroad in the 1980s 90s, including Otar Iosseliani (April, Cast Iron, There was a Singing Bird (1971), The Pastoral (1976)) Dito Tsintsadze, and Temur Babluani. Other directors, who stayed in Georgia, like Dato Koteteshvili and Gogita Chkonia has just begun to make their mark when the entire film industry – and their careers- came to an abrupt halt. In 1972, a faculty of Cinema was opened in the Tbilisi Rustaveli Theatre Institute, and later the institute was named The Tbilisi Theatre and Cinema Institute.

In the opinion of Gaga Chkheidze, deputy director of the Georgian National Film Center, one of the main problems facing Georgian cinema today is the professionalism of film directors and producers. “I think that we need a producer’s company and more schools in Georgia because it seems that our commission considers new films as less professionalism and producers are the main people shooting films; he finds a film director and conducts all the process himself. Also, film directors during the last decades faced not only money problem but also creative issues,” commented Chkheidze on the present situation of Georgian film has been lifting since 2005. “Now, we receive finances from the government every year, though it is still not much money for cinema. It equals one million and seven hundred lari and this one million more, compared to last year,” Chkeidze said.“

During Shevardnadze period, there were many promises unfulfilled. So that I think that the crisis is over, we also have a commission which holds a competition every year for film project and the winners receive finances shooting their films. Cinema receives too little attention nowadays, and I think it must be first on the list of finances from the government. For example Russia gives films nearly 0.2 percent of its budget,” Chkeidze said about the difficulties in producing films in Georgia in recent years.

But, he also praised the fact that even in the tumultuous period after independence, some films were made: “You might be surprised, but in that period, 60 films were shot even though many of them are not known for people.”Although Georgian cinema has received little world recognition recently, two films in particular are now thought to mark a revival of Georgian cinema Tbilisi-Tbilisi (2005) by the late Levan Zakareshvili and The Roof by Rezo Esadze, both of which took several years to complete. Before his death, Zakareishvili said that the reason his film took so long to complete was because “as soon as the government found out what the script was about, the sequesters began. When there was money, they used to say, ‘It is not for you, you have to wait.’ Six years passed in torture. Due to my tense relationship with the Shevardnadze government, the film took six years to shoot.”

PHOTOGRAPHY: Thousands protest Georgia election

Photos 28. Mai 2008 by PhotoVegator

NEWS: Georgia News Digest 05-27-08

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

PAINTING: Pirosmani by Beshan Shvelidze

ART: tbilisiDEEPART magazine12 (with Pirosmani & Galaktion)

tbilisiDEEPARTmagazine, an art transport project by patricia london ante paris
subscribe now at tbilisideepart@yahoo.de

dear friends,
wish you a nice time wherever you are
aloha and love patricia

tbilisiDEEPART magazine12 >>>
with Pirosmani Galaktion

ART: tbilisiDEEPART magazine11 (with Lia Svelidze)

tbilisiDEEPARTmagazine, an art transport project by patricia london ante paris
subscribe now at tbilisideepart@yahoo.de

dear friends,
in deepart 10 we wanted to send you a piece of music by dima dadiani. unfortunately technical problems interfered into this wonderful idea, sorry.
wish you a nice day
aloha! patricia

tbilisiDEEPART magazine11 >>>
with Lia Svelidze (artist)

ART: tbilisiDEEPART magazine10 (with Dima Dadiani)

tbilisiDEEPARTmagazine, an art transport project by patricia london ante paris
subscribe now at tbilisideepart@yahoo.de

dear friends,
the last two days yahoo.de was not availalable, was it because of the elections or just because of rain, that the waves could not pass?
now the weather is good and i hope nr 10 arrives savely.
with sunny regards
patricia

tbilisiDEEPART magazine10 >>>
with Dima Dadiani (musician, composer)

ART: tbilisiDEEPART magazine9 (with Natia Arabuli)

tbilisiDEEPARTmagazine, an art transport project by patricia london ante paris
subscribe now at tbilisideepart@yahoo.de

dear friends,
wish you a nice weekend
aloha! patricia

tbilisiDEEPART magazine9 >>>
with Natia Arabuli (film maker)

ART: tbilisiDEEPART magazine8 (with Iliko Zautashvili)

tbilisiDEEPARTmagazine, an art transport project by patricia london ante paris
subscribe now at tbilisideepart@yahoo.de

dear friends,
its cold in tbilisi, so working is nice,
aloha!
patricia

tbilisiDEEPART magazine8 >>>
with Iliko Zautashvili (multimedia artist, founder of creativ groups and institutinell initiative, author of curatorial projects)

Monday, May 26, 2008

NACHRICHTEN: Über die Arbeit der Wahlbeobachter in Georgien und über Berichte von Stimmenkäufen für die Parlamentswahl

Silvia Stöber schrieb mir heute, dass sie diesen Blog nun ein ganzes Jahr regelmäßig nutzt. Dass sie sehr froh über Quellen an Informationen über den Kaukasus ist. Nun bin ich ebenfalls ganz froh, dass sie in diesem Blog eine entscheidende Quelle für Georgien und den Südkaukasus sieht. Danken möchte ich an dieser Stelle auch den Mitarbeitern der Bundeszentrale für Politische Bildung und ihren Kollegen beim Fernsehen, die ihr diesen Blog empfahlen.

Silvia Stöber hat in der letzten Zeit Einiges über Georgien für www.tagesschau.de geschrieben. Interessant könnte ein Artikel von vergangener Woche über die Arbeit der Wahlbeobachter in Georgien und über Berichte von Stimmenkäufen für die Parlamentswahl sein.
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FESTIVAL: Stimmen wie Mondlicht am 28. Mai 2008 in Hannover

MASALA in der Region

Mittwoch, 28. mai 2008– 20.00 uhr
St. Martinskirche in Bennigsen
Stimmen wie Mondlicht: Tutarchela aus Georgien
ticket-online

>> Vorerst die letzte Möglichkeit Tutarchela live in Deutschland zu erleben <<<

Tutarchela bedeutet „Mondlicht“ und bringt uns hohe Sangeskunst von den Bergen, an denen sich Europa und der Orient berühren! Tutarchela ist der bislang erste und einzige Frauenchor, der außerhalb Georgiens auf Konzertreise geht. Die zwölf Frauen haben sich auf die traditionellen Lieder und Tänze der verschiedenen Regionen Georgiens spezialisiert, sie singen aber auch klassisches Chorrepertoire aus der ganzen Welt.

Wir betreten eine neue Klangwelt, die ebenso fremd wie vertraut wirkt: die Lieder sind melancholisch und voller Kraft und die Inbrunst und Freude beim Singen berührt tief.
Der preisgekrönte Chor wurde in dem 2005 in Locarno präsentierten und von ARTE unterstützten Film „Wie Luft zum Atmen“ von Ruth Olshan porträtiert.

Tutarchela in Jena (2008)

www.myspace.com/tutarchela
www.tutarchela.org

Lieder aus Georgien
Workshop mit dem georgischen Vokalensemble „Tutarchela“
Dienstag, 27. Mai 2008, 18–22 Uhr mit Pause
Ort: St. Martinskirche Bennigsen, Gemeindesaal, Am Gut 11, 31832 Bennigsen
Leitung: Georgisches Vokalensemble TUTARCHELA
Kursinhalt: Die dreizehn Frauen des georgischen Vokalensembles „Tutarchela“ üben ihr Kulturgut mit den Kursteilnehmerinnen ein: Volkslieder, von Liebesliedern, Spott- und Necklieder bis hin zu Arbeits- oder Trinkliedern, und liturgische Gesänge aus der reichen georgischen Musiktradition.
Teilnehmerinnen: max 30, Teilnahmebeitrag: 10 Euro
Anmeldung bei Sabine Nauber, Tel.: 0511 343011 oder 0177 3991739

E-Mail: kirchenmusik-bennigsen@t-online.de

UPCOMING CONFERENCE: European Neighbourhood Policy and the South Caucasus

Wilton ParkTbilisi, June 2-5program at wiltonpark.org.uk/documents/conferences/WP915/pdfs/WP915prog.pdf

How is the EU's European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) operating in the South Caucasus? What are the prospects for investment, trade, aid, energy and environmental co-operation in the region? Which policies can best help promote stability, democracy, and prosperity? What are the prospects for conflict resolution in the region? How can Black Sea regional co-operation contribute to closer relations?

NEWS: Georgia News Digest 05-26-08

A service of the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies

Attached PDF file easily navigable with Bookmarks pane
Archives and associated files at groups.google.com/group/genewsfiles (from February 2008) and groups.google.com/group/genews (before February 2008)

Elections and politics
1. Official preliminary outcomes in comparison w/parallel vote tabulations, opinion polling & exit polls
2. Results of parliamentary elections in Georgia
3. CEC confirms ruling party’s landslide victory
4. National Movement sails to victory
5. Ruling party triumphs
6. Reports on vote count annulled from over 20 polling stations in Georgia
7. Three more polling stations annulled
8. Election watchdog issues PVT results
9. Saakashvili promises dialogue, stronger Parliament
10. Saakashvili calls for dialogue ahead of opposition’s rally
11. President hails Georgians' "wisdom" after ruling party's landslide win in poll
12. Opposition mistrusts PVT results
13. video: Georgia’s opposition calls for parliament boycott
14. Opposition boycotts parliament after Saakashvili win
15. Leading opposition bloc said it will not take part in the activity of parliament
16. Opposition consults on possible boycott of parliament
17. Opposition coalition discusses tactic
18. Opposition vows to boycott parliament
19. Chances for unanimous opposition boycott shrink
20. Natelashvili urges opposition to reject mandates
21. Opposition leader outlines demands
22. Some candidates against boycott
23. Christian-Democratic Party undecided on boycott
24. Republican Party claims election falsification
25. MP candidate speaks about violations
26. Candidate for MP assesses opposition's decision as political game
27. video: Protesters plot Georgian rally
28. Opposition gears up for rally
29. Opposition leader calls on Church not to engage in political mediation
30. Germany hails Georgian polls
31. Solana hails ‘peaceful conduct’ of polls
32. International observers claim problems with election
33. Presidents congratulate Georgia on passing its democracy exam
34. Western print media criticize Georgian elections
35. European envoys assess polls
36. The most democratic elections in Georgia
37. Election controversy weakens Georgia
38. Authorities build up one-party parliament
39. Democracy still a work-in-progress in Stalin’s home town
40. Inclusive democracy: Where opinions begin and end
41. A journalist physically assaulted
42. Several attacks on journalists during parliamentary elections
43. In Sagarejo’s Azerbaijanian villages great election chaos observed
44. Kakheti’s observer struck by chair – voters frightened by criminals recently released from the prison
45. Open palm: Another signal to circle “five”: Vote rigging in Kutaisi
46. Noisy election in Gori on a maliciously peaceful background
47. The Human Rights Centre hardly managed to evacuate observers from Gori polling stations
48. Akhaltsikhe: Ballot box stuffing with faked votes
49. Provision of pensions and elections take place simultaneously in Zugdidi
50. In Batumi National Movement’s observers are regarded with more favor
51. The Human Rights Centre feft Sagarejo, Lagodekhi and Sighnaghi
52. IDP cards – one more method of falsification
53. Invisible ink: Another method of rigging elections
54. Elections in Samegrelo under cloud of murder and unexplained explosions
55. People beaten over faked passports
56. The Human Rights Center recalled observers precincts - threat of terror and death
57. Report from election observation 20 and 21 May 2008
58. Election deals in Samtskhe-Javakheti region
Conflicts and Georgia-Russia relations
59. paper: Introduction to the Georgia-Abkhazia case study
60. paper: The isolation of Abkhazia: A failed policy or an opportunity?
61. paper: Sanctions and the path away from peace
62. Russia to rotate peacekeepers in Abkhazia by June 2
63. Russian Defense Ministry to hold peacekeepers’ rotation in Abkhazia in late May
64. Russia says no increase in peacekeepers after rotation in Georgia's Abkhazia
65. Russian peacekeepers new accusations against Georgia
66. Secret peace plan discussed between Sukhumi and Tbilisi
67. American frigate sparks off separatists' concern
68. Rumors of peace amid drums of war
69. Polish reporter complains of being beaten up in Sukhumi
70. Peacekeepers report airspace violation in Georgia-Ossetia conflict zone
71. Georgia wants 'new dialogue' with Russia
72. What it means for Georgia to be on eve of war
73. Russian 'Avax' over Georgia
74. Checking in with the Georgians and Russians with the help of Robert Frost
75. Georgia sees chance to ease tensions with Russia
76. I am more likely a careful pessimist than an optimist in the issue of the Karabakh resolution [excerpt]
77. Zaporizhzhya Cossacks' reply to Moscow's Mayor
Foreign relations
78. upcoming conference: European Neighbourhood Policy and the South Caucasus
79. Prime Minister to take part in the sitting of the CIS heads of governments
80. Georgians are overcritical and over demanding
81. Whole world - USA, UNO, EC, etc. support only Saakashvili, not 'Poppositionists'!
82. Senior aide's lobbying efforts highlight challenge for McCain
83. Georgia relies on international community
84. State Minister to attend NATO PA Assembly's session
85. Foreign Minister leaves for Brussels
86. Does Georgia equally belong to all its citizens regardless the nationality?
87. German officials met Georgia's Defense Ministry officials
88. Azerbaijani president offers Independence Day greetings to Georgian counterpart
89. Energy security in the states of the Southern Caucasus region under threats of Russia
90. Saakashvili in Ukraine for energy summit
91. Georgia, Ukraine propose set up of new energy union
Business and economics
92. Productivity is the key for Georgia’s development
93. Bank of Georgia's long-term IDP affirmed at 'B+' with stable outlook-Fitch
94. audio/video: Georgia's transformation into a modern market democracy
95. Kala Capital longs for foreign designer company
96. Georgian dollar reserves decreased
97. KazTransgaz-Tbilisi for cleaner environment
98. Kulevi oil terminal opened
99. EBRD purchased Basis Bank Shares
Misc.
100. Honeymooning in Georgia
101. Georgian National Gallery to be revived
102. Fishing Georgia - Georgia on my six-weight line
103. Simulation systems for Georgian Army
104. Crisis of faith: Armenian identity threatened in Tbilisi
105. Encouraging women to become more politically active
106. New women’s health initiative offers free breast and cervical cancer screenings
107. Commemoration of AIDS Candlelight Memorial Day in Tbilisi
108. Dissecting Megrelians
109. The triumph of freedom with a modest parade and a pop star concert: Georgian Independence Day turns ninety
110. 2,600 servicemen to take part in Georgia's Independence Day parade
111. Patriarch presented diploma to Azerbaijani scientist
112. A Georgian Eurovision to boost national pride
113. Needles just the latest town to consider 'breakaway' course [excerpt]

Jonathan Kulick, Ph.D., Director of Studies, Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies, 3a Chitadze, Tbilisi 0108, Georgia (Republic), jonathan.kulick@gfsis.org, office: +995 32 47 35 55, mobile: +995 95 33 33 40, USA voicemail: 310.928.6814

VORTRAG: Georgien nach den Wahlen, 11.06.08

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,

am 21. Mai fanden die Wahlen zum georgischen Parlament statt, deren Verlauf von einer außergewöhnlich hohen Zahl ausländischer Wahlbeobachter begleitet wurde. Nicht nur hierin zeigt sich die herausragende Bedeutung des kleinen Landes im Südkaukasus, das seit der „Rosenrevolution“ 2004 mit aller Kraft auf die Eingliederung in die westliche Sicherheitsarchitektur hinarbeitet.
So ist Georgien schon heute ein Ort, an dem die Interessen Russlands mit solchen von NATO und EU unmittelbar kollidieren. Der ungewisse Ausgang des innergeorgischen Demokratisierungsprozesses und die ungelöste Frage der "abtrünnigen Provinzen" stellen das Land vor enorme Herausforderungen. Dieter Boden kann als langjähriger Beobachter in unterschiedlichen Funktionen aus erster Hand über diese Prozesse berichten.

Hiermit möchten wir sie einladen zum Vortrag "Georgien nach den Wahlen"

von Dr. Dieter Boden, Botschafter a.D.
ehem. Leiter der OSZE-Mission in Georgien,
Sonderbeauftragter des UN-Generalsekretärs in Georgien (1999 – 2002),
Leiter der OSZE/ODIHR Beobachtungsmission bei den georgischen Präsidentschaftswahlen vom 5.1. 2008

Moderation Dr. Heike Dörrenbächer, Geschäftsführerin der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Osteuropakunde e. V.
am 11. Juni 2008, um 19.00 Uhr
in der Europäischen Akademie Berlin, Bismarckallee 46/48, 14193 Berlin-Grunewald

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

Dr. Heike Dörrenbächer
Geschäftsführerin

----
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Osteuropakunde e.V.
German Association for East European Studies
Schaperstr. 30
D-10719 Berlin
Tel.: +49 (0) 30 / 21 47 84 12
Fax: +49 (0) 30 / 21 47 84 14
E-Mail: info@dgo-online.org
Homepage: www.dgo-online.org
----

Sunday, May 25, 2008

PHOTOGRAPHY: Inga, Maka and Dali - Singer from Tutarchela

PRESSESCHAU: Georgien: Kleines Land mit großen Problemen

Europäische Presseschau vom 22/05/2008

TOP-THEMA

Georgien: Kleines Land mit großen Problemen

Die Partei des georgischen Präsidenten Michail Saakaschwili hat die vorgezogenen Parlamentswahlen klar gewonnen. Doch die politischen und wirtschaftlichen Probleme der kleinen Kaukasusrepublik sind dadurch noch lange nicht gelöst. Was bedeutet das Wahlergebnis für den weiteren Weg Georgiens nach Europa?

Postimees - Estland

Die estnische Zeitung sieht die Probleme Georgiens keineswegs als gelöst an, auch wenn es der Partei von Präsident Saakaschwili offensichtlich gelungen ist, eine klare Mehrheit im Parlament zu gewinnen: "Kopfzerbrechen bereitet den Bürgern vor allem die hohe Arbeitslosigkeit, und der große Nachbar Russland droht Georgien, da Moskau gegen die NATO-Ambitionen des Landes ist. Georgien strebt in das westliche Bündnis, um ein Gegengewicht zu Russland zu haben, das die abtrünnigen Gebiete Abchasien und Südossetien unterstützt. Nun aber steht Georgien am Scheideweg, und es sind die Verbündeten im Westen, die die künftige Richtung angeben. Der letzte NATO-Gipfel hat keinen klaren Zeitplan für einen Beitritt verabschiedet, und Georgien will feste Zusagen. Wenn das Land aber die Unterstützung des Westens für die Lösung des Abchasienkonflikts will, darf Tiflis nicht von seinem Weg in Richtung Demokratie abweichen." (22.05.2008)
» zum ganzen Artikel (externer Link, estnisch)

Mehr aus der Presseschau zu den Themen » Internationale Beziehungen, » Innenpolitik, » Russland, » Europa, » Georgien

Ziniu radijas - Litauen

Ceslovas Iskauskas überlegt, welche Rolle der Westen in Georgien spielen könnte: "Jede Initiative im Kaukasus benötigt die Zustimmung Russlands. Das mag Tiflis verärgern, aber so sieht die Realität in der Region aus. Moskau will die abtrünnigen Regionen Abchasien und Südossetien enger an sich binden und hat daher vergangenen Freitag die UNO-Resolution zurückgewiesen, die eine Rückkehr der Flüchtlinge nach Abchasien ermöglichen soll. … Die meisten Beobachter glauben nicht, dass ein neuer Bürgerkrieg droht, denn das wollen weder die Georgier, noch die Abchasen oder die Russen. Aber beide Seiten versuchen, andere Länder in den Konflikt hineinzuziehen: Tiflis appelliert an Washington und Brüssel, Suchumi will mehr Hilfe aus Moskau. Es ist schwer zu sagen, ob die lokale Bevölkerung die ersehnte Ruhe bekommt, wenn ihr Konflikt wieder auf der internationalen Agenda landet." (22.05.2008)
» zum ganzen Artikel (externer Link, litauisch)

Mehr aus der Presseschau zu den Themen » Internationale Beziehungen, » Innenpolitik, » Russland, » Europa, » Georgien

Alle verfügbaren Texte von » Ceslovas Iskauskas

Tagesanzeiger - Schweiz

Obwohl Saakaschwilis pro-westliche Nationale Einheitsbewegung bei der Parlamentswahl gewonnen hat, bleibt der Präsident umstritten: "Die Opposition spricht von Wahlbetrug und kündigte ... eine Protestkundgebung in Tiflis an. ... Saakaschwili galt als demokratischer Hoffnungsträger ... doch sein Image litt in den vergangenen Monaten. Im November verhängte er einen neuntägigen Ausnahmezustand, nachdem zehntausende Menschen tagelang gegen ihn demonstriert hatten." (21.05.2008)
» zum ganzen Artikel (externer Link, deutsch)

Mehr aus der Presseschau zu den Themen » Internationale Beziehungen, » Innenpolitik, » Russland, » Europa, » Georgien

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