Trivia

His father ,writer and theater director in Kutaisi was shot during the Stalinist purges of 1937. He went to study at the VGIK in Moscow with his friend Tengiz Abuladze.

In 1953 he graduated from the directing department of VGIK (workshop of M. Romm ).

He received The Honorary Diploma for his film "Soldier's Father" in 1965 at the San Francisco International Film Festival.

He was laureate of the Lenin Prize in 1986.

He was Member of the CPSU since 1958.

Since 1953 he was the director of the film studio " Georgia-Film ", and since 1973 - the head of this studio.

He was member of the Union of Cinematographers of the Georgian SSR.

Since 1999 he has been leading an acting workshop.

In 1955, together with T. Abuladze, he made the film " Lurja Magdana ". In 1956, the film was awarded a Special Mention at the Cannes Film Festival Short Film Competition as "Best Film with a Fictional Plot", becoming the first Soviet film in a long time to be recognized at a major Western film festival.

His father - David Chkheidze (pseudonym - Dia Chianeli) (1890-1937) - , writer and public figure, was chairman of the Writers' Union of Western Georgia and worked for several years as director of the Kutaisi theater. In 1937 he was repressed .

Since 1974 he taught at the Tbilisi Theater Institute. Sh. Rustaveli (head of the film department of the institute, professor).

In 1980 he has awarded "People's Artist of the USSR".

In 1943-1946 he studied at the directing department of the Tbilisi Theater Institute. Sh. Rustaveli .

He was a Soviet, Georgian film director, actor, screenwriter, producer and teacher.

He became "Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR" of the 9th-10th convocation. After Georgia gained independence, he was one of the most famous critics of Mikheil Saakashvili and his policies.

In 1953, according to his own script, he staged the documentary film "Boris Paichadze" about the famous football player B. S. Paichadze .

In 1953-1954, together with Tengiz Abuladze, he made several documentaries.

His son Bidzina Chkheidze, is also a film director.

From1963 till 1981 he was the secretary of the Union of Cinematographers of the Georgian SSR.

He got The Lenin Prize for the film " Your Son, the Earth ", but in 1991 he refused it.