March 2024

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YARAT CENTRE

Bayil District (National Flag Square) Baku, Azerbaijan, AZ1003

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YARAT FILM CLUB PRESENTS Rusudan Chkonia'S FILM “Keep Smiling”

16 Jun 15

YARAT Contemporary Art Centre is delighted to invite you to the screening of “Keep Smiling”, a film written and directed by Rusudan Chkonia. The screening will be organized as a part of YARAT Film Club which aims to become an informal meeting point for the viewing and discussion of contemporary art videos and films.


“Keep Smiling” (110 min.) is a 2012 black comedy-drama written and directed by Rusudan Chkonia and produced as a result of collaboration between Georgian and French filmmakers. 10 women, seven of them belonging to the poorest population, are desperately trying to win a beauty contest for mothers who have more than 3 children. The winner will get an apartment and $25 000.

The only thing the contestants share in common is their reluctance and dismay at the tacky turns the contest takes as at what at first seems hopeful, gradually loses the glitter and the gold under the slow realization that the competition is an exploitative farce with its cold controlling director keen to exploit anything that secures lucrative ratings. Tragic tales of war and poverty are woven in to entertain the audience using the very real tragedies that have befallen the contestants with also the paparazzi and sexual favors entering the mix as well. As conflicts heighten, the competition gradually turns sour behind the scenes with Otar eager to maintain complete control by bullying and humiliating anyone failing to fall in line.

The film was selected as the Georgian entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards. The script was the winner of 2010 GNFC competition of debut full length feature films and went on to be the most successful release in Georgia of 2012 also enjoying a theatrical run in French cinemas.


Rusudan Chkonia was born in 1978 in Tbilisi, Georgia. In 2001 she graduated from Georgian Shota Rustaveli State University of Theatre & Film, with degree in directing. She has written and directed two short films and two documentaries, which have been screened at many international film festivals. Her graduation film CHILDREN WITHOUT A NAME has won several international awards, she was participating with her project KEEP SMILING in the project - training program AVANTI, implemented by FOCAL - Foundation for professional training in cinema and audiovisual media and funded by SDC - Swiss Development Agency and won a grant, this project also won the award at TALENT HIGLIGHT PICH at the BERLINALE CO-PRODUCTON MARKET. KEEP SMILING is the story of ten women trying to win in a beauty contest for mothers with many children. The fight without rules in which any means can be used...


The film will be shown in Georgian with English subtitles.


June 16, 2015

Time 19.00

YARAT Contemporary Art Centre (near the National Flag square)

Free admission


 

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