Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Office South Caucasus. The film is a part of the project "Introduction of Gender Dimension in Modern Georgian Society Via Contemporary Art" 2007

The four-part documentary film 'Sorrowful Tunes of Sunny Land' surveys four regions of Georgia. Four female authors put local inhabitants to an artistic test on gender sensitivity.

In the first chapter "Bolnisi, Khashuri", Author Natela Grigalashvili uses artistic imagery and a monotonous rhythm to convey middle Georgian village life, where peasant women perform a dominant role. In the following chapter "Gurjaani", author Maka Batiashvili portrays violence and incomprehension in the patriarchal society of Eastern Georgia. Irina Abzhandadze presents the third chapter, "Ozurgeti", which takes place in Western Georgia. Here, we see women and men living various lifestyles who hold a variety of views on societal issues. We meet a famous woman singer with a man-like voice, a theatre actress who works as a janitor and knits beautiful dolls, and the first woman in Georgia to hunt with a tamed falcon. Tamar Melikishvili presents the area of "Akhalstikhe", in Southern Georgia, as an oasis of gender balance. The "Epilogue" is the story of Gurian horsemen in England and America at the end of 19th century, whose ranks included five women riders.

Director of photography : Natela Grigalashvili

Program coordinator: Tinatin Mrulishvili
Project coordinator: Alexandra Gabunia
Project director: Nino Gujabidze
Regional coordinators:
Maia Nepharidze (Kvemo Kartli)
Jilda Nibladze-Kharitonashvili (Kakheti)
Nana Mjavanadze (Guria)
Nana Natenadze (Samtskhe-Javakheti)
Edited by Irakli Alaznispireli, Zurab Salakaia, Teimuraz Machavariani
Original music : Levan Svanidze
The film uses the music of Georges Bizet, Japanese tam-tam, and Georgian folk songs "Urmuli", "Gutnuri", "Tushuri", and "Datireba", as well as clips from
Federico Fellini's "8 1/2" and Derek Jarman's "The Last of England"
All rights reserved by CAC