By Vestnik Kavkaza
Russian television will broadcast the movie “The Icon” on July 26. It is about friendship, love, the common faith and common values of the Russian and Georgian people. The authors of the movie say that it is a joint production by legendary Russian and Georgian artists. The producer is Mikhail Khubutia. Supervisor – Rezo Chkheidze. Art director – Irakly Kvirikadze. Directors – Zaza Merabishvili and Dzhaba Ruadze. Cinematographer – Nugzar Nozade. Music by Enri Lolashvili. Cast: Yekaterina Rednikova, Boris Shcherbakov, Nato Gagnidze, Anatoly Pashinin, Levan Khurtsia, Nika Chikvadze and Andrey Panin.
Vestnik Kavkaza spoke to Yekaterina Rednikova.
- Yekaterina, please tell about your heroine, your role in the movie.
- My heroine is a Russian woman who is married a Georgian and loves him so much. When she was a child, she was a friend of a Georgian family, and once father of her friend saved her from death. Then, life separated them, she went to Moscow, her friend lived in Tbilisi; time passed, and the friend appeared in her life again. The woman had health problems, and she arrived to Moscow for treatment, even though she was dying. My heroine tried to help her. The whole movie is about ties between the Russian and Georgian culture and that it doesn’t matter what you nationality is. If there is friendship, love, it has no borders – either state borders or somewhat else. This is a true Russian-Georgian film.
- When you were invited to play in the movie, did you agree immediately?
- I loved the script. When I watched my role during sound recording, I saw it was shortened, unfortunately. It happens due to a director and an editor and their views. Some dramatic moments have gone, which were very interesting for me as an actress. Moreover, a lot is connected with Georgia for me. Most of it is connected with the theater of Shota Rustaveli headed by Robert Sturua for a long time. I think the strongest theater impression was left by a play of the theater of Shota Rustaveli in Moscow at the Chekhov Festival. The play was called “Lamara.” Zaza Papuashvili and Nino Kasradze played in it. I loved them all, I fell in love with the theatre and Georgia through the theatre. Everything which is connected with Georgia is sweet to me. So, I accept the proposal immediately. Moreover, I killed the script.
- How did you prepare for shooting?
- Most of shooting took place in Moscow. Initially the movie was called “Moscow-Tbilisi”; now it is called “The Icon.” I had only one shooting day in Tbilisi. Even though I love Georgia so much, I have never been to Tbilisi before. The beautiful city impressed me very much. I even didn’t know that it stood on the river. We also worked in Greece. Beautiful sites were chosen for shooting. Moscow was pictured beautifully. In Greece we filmed on a boat. Everything was pretty. I couldn’t say that I specially prepared for shooting. The role didn’t demand knowing Georgian or something else. My heroine is a doctor. There was no need in special skills.
- Why should people watch the film?
- There is interesting mingling of two stories; mingling of the past and the present through the icon of St. George. St. George is Moscow’s patron saint, but the icon is Georgia. This mingling of different stories and fates is close to any person, I believe. Because every person faces his or her past someday, something returns from the past and brings a new color to your life. I think it should be familiar to anyone. Moreover, there is a religious theme. It is connected with the icon, what happens with people after death, thoughts about death. I think everybody should watch the movie.
Vestnik Kavkaza also interviewed Rezo Ckheidze. “It is not a surprise that young people who shoot they first or second movie say a big good word in Georgia, abroad, or in Russia. When I met the directors who graduated from Tbilisi Cinema Department, they held this script in hands. They didn’t know who could make it, i.e. who could sponsor and produce the film. There is a tradition in Georgia – whether it is necessary or not, we go for advice to our Patriarch. He is a kind, faithful person who can say a very wise word. And we went to him,” Rezo Ckheidze said. “He read the script. Two days later he called us and we met. He said that he had no protests against the film and that it had many important things, considering the Russian and Georgian nations, relations, and ideas. Even though he didn’t praise the script, he watched it positively. Later the guys met Mr. Mikhail Khubutia who did a real Christian step: you cannot test two young people, whether they will succeed in making a movie, and only after that invest your money. It was different in Soviet times when cinema was sponsored by the state. Investing private money is different. What if a movie fails? A film costs at least a million. So, Mikhail Khubutia made a heroic step to believe in the young people.
The film is very interesting and demanded. Even in times of cold relations between Russia and Georgia, people have never thought that we would never be together again. The most important thing is that some people wouldn’t disturb us from improving relations. And then we will go forward. This is the essence of the movie. Each hero of the film has its own fate, health, love, faith, motherland, and all this unites them. They are alive. It is useful for young directors. I think the guys are promising.”
