Dede

This is a strange little insight into crazed culture of the Balkan people. Mediaeval at best, Neanderthal at worst. Woman are treated as possessions, religion is primitive and suddenly I understand why there are always Balkan wars. I also understand why my friends of Balkan heritage believe in conspiracy theories. What a strange primeval society. An eye opening movie!!

"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.

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.

The film DEDE impressed me deeply. It combines cultural history with a tragic cinematic story. It is document and art at the same time. Masterful! In addition, this high performance was achieved through the participation of mostly amateur actors. They were all and are Svans. The film DEDE is an extraordinary project. Anyone who visits Ushguli or Svaneti these days will not only learn about the fate of women in a film, but also about history. Everything designed up close. The great camera work and the impressive faces are also impressive. When I come to Georgia, to Mestia or to Ushguli, I see the film DEDE again and again. Aesthetically, this film has great power. I can only recommend this film to everyone.

Taking place in the country of Georgia shortly after the Soviet Union broke apart there erupts ethnic & regional conflict (w/the usual Russian interference currently ongoing in Georgia & Ukraine's Crimea annexation) resulting in many going off to and coming home from battle which is where this story starts. An Eastern Orthodox Christian country that because of poor education still relies on the traditions of the church to set precedence & govern behavior. One issue facing this ethos is the status of women (a common issue in many conservative religions) where they have a status & value somewhere at or below that of livestock. Although male-centric even the elderly women, poorly if at all educated, also preserve the status quo of God, Jesus, and ancestral spirits to determine the fates (along w/sacrificing a pig, goat or chicken). The female fate, "She must be cheerful, wear colorful clothes, and have a baby." Oh, and then there's forced/arranged marriage, and an attempt at rebelling against it (and the cruelty of people imposing their religious interpretations upon others), which is what this story is about. Filmed on location, w/beautiful scenery & remote villages.