Selection

Screening: Professional Competition 10
Georgia 2024
Duration: 15:00
Directed: Elene Tavadze
Screenplay: Sofio Chincharauli, Elene Tavadze
Production: Sofio Chincharauli
Dialogue Language: Georgian

The film tells a true story of poetic love in early 20th century Tbilisi. Paolo Iashvili, a famous poet, wrote passionate poems under the name Elene Dariani. These poems caused a scandal, with people wondering who the real author was. A young woman named Elene writes a love letter and heads to deliver it, facing ridicule from everyone on the street. The mockery peaks when she sees a crude drawing of herself with Paolo on a wall. With the rise of the Soviet regime, Elene is forced to hide her feelings forever. The Dariani collection, containing 14 poems, leaves a lasting question: Was Elene Dariani a creation of Paolo Iashvili, or a real woman in his shadow? This mystery still sparks debate in Georgia today.