Film director Giorgi Shengelaia passes away

Georgian film director and actor Giorgi Shengelaia has passed away at the age of 82, according to Georgian media reports.

Born on May 11, 1937, Shengelaia studied at the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography in Moscow.

Shengelaia debuted as a film director in 1963, when his first feature-documentary movie Alaverdoba was released. The movie is about a young man who opposes distorted traditions.

Shot in 1964, Pirosmani, a feature movie about Georgia’s self-taught artist Niko Pirosmani, earned an honorable place among Shengelaia’s successful works.

Shengelaia directed 14 movies starting from 1963, including the musical film Melodies of Vera Quarter, Khareba and Gogia. He is a laureate of various film festivals, such as the Transcaucasian and Ukrainian Film Festival (1966), the Bergamo (Italy) 10th International Film Festival (1966), Chicago 10th International Film Festival (1974) and others, Agenda.ge recalls.