This year is different for all of us. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was extremely high on cultural public events, such as festivals, most of them getting cancelled or post-poned.
Since January until mid-March 2020, we had worked intensively for the preparation of the eight edition of CinéDOC-Tbilisi (initially scheduled for 23 – 27 April 2020). By mid-March all films were selected, all jury members and international guests invited; almost all venues and cinemas reserved, and all festival events planned. Everything was almost ready...
However, our plans where changed suddenly, disrupting our final preparation activities. We had to react very quickly. For public health and safety reasons, we postponed the festival. It was not easy... not easy for our team, not easy for the filmmakers who were eager to travel to Georgia or for the Georgian filmmakers who had worked many years on their documentaries and were looking forward to their national premiere... but safety came first.
Nevertheless, we have soon started thinking of online solutions and alternative ways of continuing our work. We have adapted to an unprecedented situation and we have found a solution: our festival will take place in a hybrid format this year. Some of the selected films will be screened in open-air settings: for example, in the CAVEA drive-in cinema close to the Lisi Lake or in the inner yard of the Caucasian House, in Tbilisi. These creenings allow for social distancing and safety. If you miss any of these screenings, you still have the chance to watch wonderful documentaries online (directly on our website via the platform DAFilms) or on the Georgian Public Broadcaster (in August 2020).
Our regional coordinators had to adapt to the new situation too: some of them organized online film screenings, others outdoor screenings. Luckily many of our regional coordinators were so innovative that they have screened on walls of buildings or in open-air wrestling arenas. Mini festivals in the regions of Georgia will also take place this year, in spite of the pandemic: in Dusheti, Gori, Sagarejo Chkhorotsku and Marneuli. Screening: 24.04 | 21:00| Cavea
“We do emotions” is the slogan of our festival! And we really hope that all the wonderful documentaries of this year’s festival selection will be the source of strong emotions in each one of you! We want to reach you with all films... be it in a beautiful open-air setting during a warm September evening or, at home, with family and friends.
Creative documentaries should be more and more accessible, despite everything and this is what we try to do in this different year.
Enjoy CinéDOC-Tbilisi 2020!
Festival Platforms
CinéDOC-Tbilisi 2020 will be held in an innovative format. This year the festival includes several platforms and allows the audience to watch the latest creative documentaries in their preferred environment.
CinéDOC Cinema Hall on the Georgian Public Broadcaster
This year the festival collaborates with the Georgian Public Broadcaster, the First Chan- nel. Within this collaboration, audiences will have the opportunity to feel like a guest of our festival in their cozy home environment. The First Channel invites us all to the CinéDOC Cinema Hall from 12 August until 28 August, every Wednesday and Friday at 23:30 o'clock.
Cavea Drive-in Cinema
Drive-in cinemas were considered a popular gathering destination for the American youth in the 20th century. Today, the new reality reminded us of a forgotten format. Therefore, our viewers will have the chance to watch festival films at the Cavea Drive- in Cinema, every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday (from 30 August until 27 September). The cost of the ticket per car admission to the drive-in cinema will be 15 GEL. Cavea cinema tickets will be available online at kinoafisha.ge, to buy tickets visit our website or kinoafisha.ge, select the film and purchase the ticket.
Caucasian House
Open-air screenings of a selection of CinéDOC-Tbilisi's festival films will also take place in the inner yard of the Caucasian House (Galaktioni Tabidze Street 20, Tbilisi). The Cau- casian House aims at establishing peaceful relations and cultural integration in the Cau- casus. Film screenings at Caucasian House are free of charge.
DAFilms & cinedoc-tbilisi.com
The online portal DAFilms.com is a platform for international online distribution of doc- umentaries and experimental films. The films will be accessible through our website - cinedoc-tbilisi.com from 23 to 30 September 2020. The number of viewers are limited, so hurry up to watch the films online as long as they are available. Online films are free of charge, you only have to hurry up to watch the films during those dates.
BIAFF - Batumi International Art House Film Festival
This year the Batumi International Art House Film Festival will take place from 15 to 22 September, and will dedicate some festival slots to our festival films! Four films from our festival program will be screened within the framework of our collaboration with BIAFF. The screenings at the festival are free of charge.
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