Dir: Rusudan Glurjidze | Cast: Salome Demuria, Sergey Dresden, Vladimir Daushvili, Vladimir Vdovichenko | Georgian, Drama 132′
In late Autumn 2006, Russian authorities detained thousands of Georgians and expelled them to Georgia, including those residing legally in Russia.
Set in modern day St Petersburg this impressive second film from Georgia’s Rusudan Glurjidze is a classically styled and darkly humorous ‘odd couple’ movie about an unlikely duo thrown together by circumstances beyond their control arising from turbulent times.
Set against the hopes and aspirations of migrants in an uncertain world where people are constantly on the move – through choice or necessity due to war and oppression – The Antique bears testament to the brutal and indiscriminate ways in which politics derail human lives.
Medea (Demuria) has sold her house in Georgia and is working in an antique shops where she meets fellow Georgian Lado (Daushvili) who is an antiques smuggler. Ready to move on with her life Medea bags herself a bargain flat in St. Peterburg’s historic centre only to find out that a curmudgeonly old man in the shape of Vadim Vadimich is already in residence. An inter-generational and personality clash ensues as the two are forced to make the best of their shared accommodation as the disorientated young woman tries to forge friendships while dealing with the past in the wintery city.
Giurjidze’s confident direction and Gorka Gomez Andreu’s widescreen camerawork capture this spectacular snowbound location and the majestic rambling interiors where the odd couple rub along. One relatable bone of contention is when Vadim strongly objects to Medea throwing his personal, if seemingly old, possessions away, including a strand of his brother’s hair. Another sees the old man arrested after he mistakenly goes into the wrong flat and raises merry hell with the current resident. The Antique offers another snapshot of Georgia’s rich culture infused with an endearing sense of the ridiculous. @MeredithTaylor
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Rusudan Glurjidze is a Georgian film director, screenwriter, and producer. From 1989 to 1991, she studied French language and literature at the Tbilisi State University, then switched to film studies. From 1990 to 1996, she studied film directing and scriptwriting at the Georgian State Film and Theatre Institute, taking Georgiy Shengelaia’s classes. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union destroyed the Georgian film industry, Glurjidze worked in advertising. She has been a producer and creative director of the Cinetech Film Production Company since 2007. Her feature directorial debut, House of Others, premiered in the East of the West competition at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, taking home the Grand Prix. The film was selected for numerous international film festivals, winning an array of awards, and became Georgia’s candidate for Best Foreign Language Film at the 89th Academy Awards.