Udzinarta mze (1992)

User Rating:

8.4/10   

Director:

Temur Babluani

Writer:

Temur Babluani (writer)

Genre:

Drama | Crime

Awards:

3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Elgudzha Burduli
David Kazishvili
Lia Babluani
Eka Saatashvili
Givi Sikharulidze
Leo Pilpani
Flora Shadaniya
Lika Kavjaradze
Soso Jachvliani
Murtaz Zhvaniya

Also Known As:

The Sun of the Sleepless (International: English title) (informal literal title)
The Sun of the Wakeful

Runtime:

Russia:123 min

Country:

Georgia

Language:

Georgian

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Company:

Adam da Eva

Trivia:

It took the director Temur Babluani to cast over 11,000 young men for the role of Dato before making his selection on David Kazishvili.

Georgian cinema just doesn't get any better

Have seen this movie over 7 times now and own on the video too.

There was a time when georgian cinema was stalled, all new movies were at least forgetable if not worse (actually not that many movies were coming out at that time).Udzinarta Mze(english trsanslation would be

"Sun of Sleepless" ) came out exactly at that time as a message that georgian cinematographic traditions weren't extinct. Movie is about Physician who is developing new treatment of cancer, but his studies are not well recieved because medical society is co "closed" one. He is not well recieved in the society in general because he is "different" and nobody needs him . Despite all this, his family is very supportive and his son who is seen in the begining of the movie as a some sort of criminal believes in his father more than anybody. As you might expect physician dies without achieving his dream.

Despite the fact that this movie is addressing the global problem of "closed society" it is very "georgian". Characters, relations between family, realtions between friends and outside world is very "georgian".

As you watch the movie you start liking the main characters more and more and you can feel that director has a huge compassion towards them, he really cares about them. Everything in this movie is outsdanding:story, cast, photography etc. Emotions can overwhelm you watching " Sun of Sleepless".

Movie is also full of comical and violent (latter is quite new to georgian cinema) episodes which are handled very tastefully and never go out of context, and you never get swayed away from the main theme, on the contrary these episodes are integral part of the movie. How does director do this? Don't know

Actors are magnificent. Guja Burduli playing the main character is extremly convincing as a struggling scientist, he is outstanding throughout the movie. D Kazishvili who plays his son Dato is not even a professional actor, but he does more than outstanding job, He steals the show in so many instances that him being amature is not even remembered.

And of course worth noting the haunting score written by director himself but one can see the roots coming out from georgian folk music.

Many things can be said about this movie, but there are not many movies out there that can deliver this level of perfect balance between realism and an art. It is an emotional filmmaking at its best.

It is simply a masterpiece of moviemaking!