And Then We Danced
09 October 2021 @Capitol 20:00
Merab is a student at the Academy of the Georgian National Ballet in Tbilisi. His greatest dream is to become a professional dancer. When Irakli joins the class, Merab initially sees him as a serious rival for the longed-for place in the permanent ensemble. The competition soon turns into an increasingly strong desire. But in the homophobic environment of the school, where conservative ideas of masculinity are upheld, the two are expected to keep their love a secret.
Swedish director Levan Akin’s sweeping love-and-dance drama was hailed as a discovery at Cannes and has since won numerous awards, including four categories at the Swedish film prize Guldbaggen. Countering the queer hostility that is frighteningly widespread in Georgia, the director, whose family is from the country themselves, offers a resolute celebration of non-heterosexual love. Lead actor Levan Gelbakhiani, one of the European Shooting Stars of the 2020 Berlinale, was showered with awards for his poignant performance and was nominated for the European Film Award.
About the Director
Levan Akin, born in 1979, comes from the southern Swedish town of Tumba and has Georgian roots. He first worked as an assistant for various film productions, including Swedish television. His first, award-winning short film De sista sakerna (2008) was followed by his feature film debut Katinkas Kalas (2011), which was screened at New York’s Tribeca Film Festival. He has also directed individual episodes for various TV series, such as Real Humans (2012). His second film, the youth book adaptation Zirkel, screened in the Generation section of the Berlinale in 2015. And Then We Danced is Akin’s first film in Georgian. He is currently preparing the TV series Dough as writer and director.
