This was a look into a society that few people know much about in Western Europe. Georgia, despite being in Europe seems so far away and it is, in both geographical distance and attitudes.
Not only homophobia was on display here. I wasn't aware of the level of hatred and discrimination against Armenians there. The disgraced dancer Zaza's transgressions were made worse by their having been committed with an Armenian in Yerevan. When Merab's brother was forced to marry, disparaging rumours and gossip were spread about his wife's family possibly being of Armenian origin.
Then the homophobia. It seemed ingrained in Georgian society. Unfortunately the film didn't help in one respect. Apart from Merab and Irakli, the only other gay people portrayed were shrieking drag queens and stereotypical and dissolute gays and lesbians in seedy clubs. Many of the gay minor characters were portrayed as prostitutes. I admire the bravery of the film, but I think that this was a mistake
The dance itself encouraged masculine, hettie stereotypes too. At one time, Aleko tells Merab that there is no place for weakness or effeminism in Georgian dance, that all that was done away with fifty years previously. Nonetheless, the art form has engendered an interest in me and I'll be looking up some performances to watch online.
Merab's dance in the closing scenes was a tour de force, rejecting the imposed, ossified and constricting confines of traditional dance. It so scandalised the auditioner from the national dance group that he walked out, but the musicians and Aleko, as well as Mary, looked on fascinated.
I'd had this film for ages. I don't know why I hadn't watched it before. I think I'd been put off by the length, which was an hour and fifty three minutes. I needn't have been. I wasn't bored for a single second.
