Movie Screening — Abezara (Nikoloz Sanishvili, 1956)

The second screening of this series will feature Nikoloz Sanishvili’s “Abezara” (1956), a 90-minute color film produced by the film studio “Georgian Film.” The story follows Lia, renowned for her assertive and inquisitive nature, as she begins working for a young architect, Giorgi.

The film premiered on December 30, 1956. Set in 1950s Tbilisi, it depicts the transformative period between Stalin's architectural vision, which emphasized the “adoption of the classical legacy,” and the rise of the last official style of Soviet architecture, known as Soviet Modernism. This shift was prompted by changes in the Communist Party's ideology, particularly following Nikita Khrushchev's speech on December 7, 1954. In that speech, he criticized architects for using the classical elements of architecture — such as columns, capitals, arches, and cornices — and called for a complete industrialization of construction.

The introductory talk will focus on the ideological background of Stalinist Architecture and showcase important buildings from Tbilisi's architectural heritage from that period.

The movie is in Georgian, and for this occasion, the Ubani team has prepared English subtitles.