THE OTHER BANK
Georgia/Kazakstan, 2009, 93 minutes, Colour.
Directed by George Ovashvili.
Audiences do not usually see Georgia/Kazakstan in films. Rather, they see it in news items, especially in terms of invasions and wars.
This film offers a glimpse into the area, especially seen through the eyes of a young boy. However, it is unusual that the boy is cross-eyed and at times has to pretend that he is deaf and dumb. However, he gives a most impressive performance and carries the audience with him on his journey back to a bombed-out town to find his father.
The film presents the harshness of the outer suburbs of Tblisi, of the countryside, of people who are cruel to one another. However, at times some kindness breaks through and this makes for a more rounded picture of the people and of human nature.
The film is based on a memoir, The Trip to Africa – which explains the final shots of giraffes in the post-credits sequences.
1.An insight into Georgia/Kazakstan?
2.Audience knowledge and lack of knowledge of the politics of the area, the geography of the area? The particular wars? The universal message?
3.The range of settings, the suburbs of Tablisi, the roads, the countryside, the river, villages, the forests and the snow? The musical score? The songs?
4.Borders, frontiers, the guards, barriers, dangers, violence? The different languages spoken, Georgian, Russian, the language of Kazakstan?
5.The introduction to Tedo, his look, his eyes, his age? The house, the key? Going to work in the garage, his diligence? Not going to school? His precarious status as a refugee – to be deported if caught by the police?
6.The other boys, their hiding, stealing, their various tricks? Tedo and the puncture in the car, replacing the tyre, the other boys stealing the wallet, the division of money? Tedo seeing his mother with the men? Giving her the cash, her asking if it was stolen? His attitudes towards her, with the men in her life? The failed trick, the policeman chasing Tedo, outrunning him? At home and seeing his mother with the man?
7.His decision to leave, pack, the boy with his advice about being deaf and dumb? On the train, sleeping, ousted by the guard, sleeping in the fields, the encounter with the men changing the numberplate on the car, picking up the girl, their molesting her, his attacking the men, their throwing him out? Allowed on the bus, the help from people, the old woman with the flower calling him her grandson, the man who was kind, shot to death? Entrusted with the old man to go to the house, pretending to be mute, the woman and her giving him the meal, the man drunk and attacking him, the memories of their son dead in the war? Tedo sleeping under the bed, wanting to leave – the man and woman giving him breakfast, kindness, speaking his language?
8.The quest for his father, the village, waiting, the snow, meeting the old lady, hearing the story of his father, the remarriage? Not knowing where he was?
9.Hiding in the fields, the soldiers and the shooting, his being taken, the joke about his being a rabbit? The brutal treatment? The food? The singing, the intense dancing, Tedo and his beginning to dance, almost a frenzy, the final close-up of his face? Where to?
10.The book based on A Trip to Africa, the final images of giraffes?
11.A child’s story, the harshness of life for the child, questions about his future?
12.A refugee story, hard lives for survival for refugees?
13.War and its brutality?
14.The harshness of human nature, cruelty? The moments of kindness compensating?
