The press conference dedicated to the fifth day of the 17th Eurasia International Film Festival became a platform for discussing the satirical parable from Georgian filmmakers – the black-and-white film “Citizen Saint”.
The story is set in a mining town, where a cross depicting a saint stands in the main square, and locals consider the saint to be their protector. However, one day the cross is taken down for repairs, the statue of the saint disappears mysteriously, and a stranger suddenly appears among the residents.
The director and producer of the film Tinatin Kajrishvili and Lasha Khalvashi shared the story of how they created the movie. The inspiration came from a short story about a statue that transforms into a living man.
"This story could have happened in any country and at any time. I really love black-and-white films; I feel that such films have more colour than any others. As for casting, I do not handle it because I do not enjoy doing it. For me, the characters in the film are like family members. Moreover, this was a very risky project, and I chose actors whom I trust," said Tinatin Kajrishvili.
The script was first developed in 2017, and the film was completed in 16 days with a small budget and with support of the Georgian Film Center.
"This is an international co-production between Georgia, France, and Bulgaria. This was Tinatin's third film, and when applying for funding, she had to compete with renowned directors. We are very proud that she succeeded. For us, this is a mark of quality. As for the budget, we will not disclose it – it is a micro-budget," said producer Lasha Khalvashi.
According to the filmmakers, it was a very challenging project. The film was shot during the COVID-19 pandemic with many restrictions in place, and filming could have been halted at any moment if anyone fell ill.
"The director of photography for this project Krum Rodriguez from Bulgaria, was visiting Georgia for the first time. It was very difficult to lower the equipment deep underground, especially since the space was very cramped and there were power lines overhead. Krum did an excellent job," said Tinatin Kajrishvili.
The world premiere of the film took place at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (Czech Republic). “Citizen Saint” has already won several prestigious awards, and it represented Georgia at the Academy Awards in 2024 in the category of “Best International Feature Film".
The festival is founded and traditionally organized by the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, with the Kazakhfilm Studio named after Shaken Aimanov entrusted with the direct organization of the event.
General partner: BAZIS-A company.
It is noteworthy that sponsors include KAZ Minerals group, Sarens Kazakhstan, Eurasian Resources Group (ERG), Salem Entertainment, the Kinopark Theatres cinema chain, Astana Motors, Kazakhtelecom JSC, and A-Event KZ.
Media Partners: "Khabar" JSC, Qazaqstan TV Channel, NTK TV Channel, Europa Plus Kazakhstan, Eldoradio, Qazaq Gazetteri, Egemen Qazaqstan, Kazakhstanskaya Pravda, Antenna Kazakhstan, New Generation, ORDA, Kazinform International News Agency, Arbat Media, El.kz, Baq.kz, BaigeNews.
