And Then We Danced (Georgian)

This film is made by a  Swedish-Georgian director, who wanted to shoot Georgia's first explicitly queer feature film, a coming-of-age story about a traditional dancer; but as you can expect was met with a lot of resistance. If anyone asked, he’d say, the film is about a French tourist who comes to Georgia and falls in love with the culture. Since the film is about Georgian dance and masculinity, it is important to understand that the Georgian folk dancer is an image of masculine stereotype. His movements are martial, virile; they simulate war, hunting, and the courtship of his beloved. And this message is repeated and stressed upon more than just a few times in the film.

Upcoming dancer Merab is part of a dance troupe who is also preparing to audition for a part in the main troupe. But every single time, his oppressive trainer reproaches him for being too soft, too feminine. Dance has been in his family with his grandmother, father, mother and even brother following the same path although the brother hates it. The father has left them and the family is finding it hard to make a living. Merab's entire future depends on this audition. When a new male dancer Irakli arrives from Batumi, Merab’s initial suspicions of the competition give way to intrigue. Dark-haired and with broad shoulders, Irakli talks back to the teacher and follows his own rules. soon enough the two start early morning rehearsals together. Friendship grows and it isn’t long before their desire takes over, once they find each other in the woods during a weekend of partying at a friend’s country home. Merab is completely smitten in love with Irakli and is enjoying the magic of his first true love. When Irakli suddenly disappears to go back home, Merab gets into friendship with a feminine gay boy exploring gay clubs. Irakli comes back having getting engaged. His forceful final dance audition provides the film’s impassioned finale, as the character finally unshackles himself from the burden of tradition to perform with unbridled style and joy.

The dancer/actor playing Merab has unbelievable screen presence and charm and together with his director, the duo go to great lengths to ensure that audiences unfamiliar with Georgian customs appreciate just how formalized and conservative traditional Georgian dance can be in a country not exactly known for socially liberal leanings. The self realization for both men being in love and their first time kissing has been done with dignity. But besides these folks, sadly none of the other characters are fully developed. Merab's brother David is in his own world, so a sudden scene between the two brothers of rare emotional depth towards the end feels a bit off in the whole flow of the film. Although that is the scene that eventually gives courage to Merab to be his own person. Coming to the dance sequences, they were all very satisfying. I particularly liked the short dane dup that Merab and Irakli perform and you can see the joy on their faces when they do it. I was thoroughly engaged in the film. I have visited Georgia but the gay subtext was a good learning for me besides a very engaging film and wonderful actors. 

The film has all traditional side stories that you would expect in a coming-of-age story but by focussing more on Merab's internal struggles in a conservative society mixed with dance, this film marks for a very compelling watch. (8//10)