Dede

"Dede" is a beautiful, moving, heartrending story, based on actual cultural practices (brideknapping included) in the Caucasus until just a few decades ago. Sadly, these cultural practices still prevail in more than a few countries around the world. I'm no expert in Svaneti, but after traveling in the region with local residents, staying in local guesthouses, and hearing their stories, all of the events in the movie ring true. "Dede" is expertly told on a tiny budget, with (mostly and perhaps all) amateur actors. This is what movie-making should be about, not all the special effects, car crashes, and explosions.

I am Georgian myself and saw this movie in Svaneti (where it was taken). I am ashamed to see that people are abusing the dark side of our history to play on people's emotions superficially to win grants, but regretfully the movie has no value. Instead of showing the real life in mountains, the actual traditions (which were very developed and the included mediation and such institutes as jury etc. The director is playing on people's emotions artificially).

This is not how the life was in Svaneti, people were much kinder to each other and nobody killed and raped each other like this. I'm sad to see this movie and hope not many people will get to see it because it is filled with lies. The director just used cheap methods for playing on emotions with lies and artificial scenes. I was sad to see this movie.

The atmosphere. as a large circle of customs, traditions, relationships, faith, fears, rules. this defines "Dedi" for a viewer out of Caucasus. and it does it in precise and clear manner. as invitation to become part of this strange, cold, very old world. the first temptation is to compare. with the films of Tengiz Abuladze. yes, it is Georgia. the basic traits are the same. but it has two virtues defining it in profound sense: the vision of Mariam Khatchvani and the status of history of present. the roots are the same for an isolated comunity and the story could have as location a villge from Albania, Turkey, Greece or Romania. but it is more than a beautiful film. it is a great story about roots of ordinary life. about its structure. and about the way to transform the people in profound manner. so, a story from Svaneti. as a honest testimony.

With simple, slow-moving scenario, the film is beautifully made in terms of cinematography, amazing scenery and settings, but also casting. The actors all appeared as if they were real local mountain villagers, particularly the elderly ones. The villages where the action takes place were straight out of the Middle Ages. I was fascinated to look at the details of the interior of houses, the furniture, the utensils, bedding, clothing. Even though the film takes place in modern era, time up in this mountainous area of Georgia looks to have stood still. Adherence to traditional values and to religion is evident throughout the film. Some scenes really stuck to mind, the heavy snow covered village rooftops and pathways, the horse-racing women riders, the little boy singing at the top of his voice while the little girl of same age next to him nodding off. There's not much to write about the plot, but it is a film worth watching because of the way it is made...

An excellent directorial debut from Mariam Khatchvani, beautifully framed and shot. She makes hard narrative choices, to sympathetically show the extant tension between conservative traditions, and a young woman's desire for autonomy - all within the framework of a love story destined for a tragic end.

Based on real events, and showcasing a turbulent period in recent Georgian history, it is a story that could be from many places, and is all the more remarkable for how recently the story is set.

Khatchvani directs with a light touch, and gets wonderful and credible performances from many local people who make up her cast, much in the same vein as Pasolini.

Minor missteps in pacing and editing are easily forgiven for the sure hand shown in shooting and framing the narrative - the village of Ushguli and its beautiful surrounding mountains play as much a character as any of the actors. Absolutely worth your time.