In 1985, the movie Favourites of the Moon was released in France, introducing audiences to its Georgian director Otar Iosseliani. Although he had already created three full-length films and multiple shorts in the Soviet Union, Iosseliani was relatively unknown in Western Europe before his death at 89. He faced censorship in his home country, which ultimately led him to seek refuge in France in 1982. Favourites of the Moon, filmed in Paris and in French, served as the initial introduction for many viewers to Iosseliani’s unique vision.
Iosseliani’s works, which he refers to as “abstract comedies,” tactfully and sharply delve into the nonsensical aspects of humanity, staying true to his unique perspective and straying from traditional storytelling. Rather than relying on dialogue, Iosseliani carefully observes his characters’ actions. His masterful manipulation of sound, silence, and intricate movements involving people, animals, and objects solidify his position as a successor to renowned filmmakers Jean Renoir, Jacques Tati, and Luis Buñuel.
Born in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi (then called Tiflis), Iosseliani studied composing, conducting and piano at the Tbilisi Conservatory, and then took a degree in mathematics at Moscow University. However, he became drawn to the cinema, and graduated from the All-Union State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK, now known as the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography) in the city, where he had attended classes given by the film director Alexander Dovzhenko.
When he was a student, he started his career at the Gruzia film studios in Tbilisi. Initially, he worked as an assistant director and later became an editor for documentaries.
In 1958, Iosseliani began his journey as a director during a time of relatively free expression in the Soviet Union, known as the Nikita Khrushchev thaw. However, this period of freedom was short-lived as repression returned in the mid-1960s.
Unfortunately, Iosseliani’s 1961 film April, which runs for 46 minutes, was prohibited from being shown due to its “excessive formalism”. However, it was later shown at the 2000 Cannes film festival. The film tells a poetic and slightly surreal tale of a young couple who project their love for each other onto their belongings while envisioning themselves in a new apartment.
The movie had a distinct auteur style, achieved through clever incorporation of sound and minimal dialogue. According to Iosseliani, his films revolve around humanity’s tendency towards materialistic desires, ultimately resulting in the loss of genuine emotions.
After a period of five years, during which he served as a sailor on a fishing vessel and also worked at a metallurgical factory, Iosseliani created his debut feature film, Falling Leaves (1966). This film displayed the distinct qualities of his style, aiming to capture fleeting moments of life. Set in a winery, the story follows a sincere young man navigating a Soviet system rife with corruption. As an act of defiance, the protagonist does not sport a mustache, which in Georgian culture represents societal conformity and masculinity.
In 1970, a film titled “Once Upon a Time There Was a Singing Blackbird” playfully alludes to traditional Georgian folklore and follows the carefree life of a musician in the Tbilisi orchestra.
Because Pastorale (1975) was not considered “edifying enough” by the Soviet authorities, it was screened in the west only in 1982 (at the Berlin and London film festivals), the year that Iosseliani decided to settle in Paris. It concerned the members of a string quartet, on a summer holiday in the Georgian countryside, who are witness to the squabbles of small-minded peasants. As anti-authoritarian as all Iosseliani’s films, Pastorale paints a wry and poetic portrait of cultural disconnection.
The Moon’s Favorites, a French film and the director’s first, tells the intertwined stories of various thieves in Paris. Their paths constantly intersect as they trade money, paintings, and valuable objects. At first, the film may seem like a series of confusing events involving enigmatic characters (a trend that continued in the director’s later work). However, as the story unfolds, the fragmented narrative style reveals a biting commentary on the selfishness and shallowness of the upper class.
The mostly silent film Chasing Butterflies (1992) tells its story through beautifully composed long takes, reminiscent of the work of Tati, that combine precise physicality with absurdity. This allegorical tale takes place in modern-day France and centers on two older women of high social standing who reside in a grand but deteriorating chateau. While they find joy in their quaint world of old correspondence, art, and satisfaction, the harsh realities of business, thieves, and greedy inheritors loom in the background, waiting for their demise.
Chapter VII of Brigands (1996) received a special jury prize at the Venice Film Festival for its departure from Tati’s farcical style and towards Buñuel’s dark humor. The movie skillfully transitions between the medieval era, Soviet Russia, and present-day Paris, featuring a tyrannical ruler, a Stalinist official, and a homeless individual as the main characters.
Some of the film was shot in Georgia, marking Iosseliani’s return to his homeland after 14 years. “All my films are Georgian films,” he claimed. “Although most of my films are set in provincial France, there is always a Georgian village behind the facades; and this village could also be a village anywhere else in the world.”
Farewell, Home Sweet Home (1999) presents members of a wealthy Parisian family who lead absurd double lives in secret. There are no punchlines, no dramatic outbursts, just a daisy chain of events that poke fun at the fickleness of human nature.
In the film “Monday Morning” (2002), which received the Silver Bear award at the Berlin Film Festival, Iosseliani shifts his attention to a single character, a middle-aged factory worker. This worker makes the bold decision to escape his monotonous nine-to-five routine by traveling to Venice for a few days. Through this comedy, the director showcases his talent for finding joy in the mundane aspects of everyday life.
Gardens in Autumn (2006) tells a subtle story of self-discovery, featuring an unexpected protagonist: a melancholic cabinet minister in his middle-age. His life takes a turn when he quits his position and leaves behind his unfulfilling lover and domineering mother (portrayed by Michel Piccoli in drag), opting for a carefree and unconventional lifestyle.
The film Chantrapas (2010) centers around a Georgian director struggling to maintain his creative independence in both the Soviet Union and France. The title is a play on words of the French phrase “Chantre Pas” (Cannot Sing) and is a reflection of Iosseliani’s personal experiences.
However, Iosseliani, who made several droll appearances in his films, denied any autobiographical intent. “I never recount what I have observed in the lives of myself or my comrades, friends and neighbours. I simply invent parables and try to make them as close to real life as I need to, so that people will believe in these parables.”
In 2015, his most recent movie, Winter Song, depicted the residents of a Parisian apartment building who all resisted the norms of society in their own unique ways.
Otar Iosseliani, a director of films, was born on February 2, 1934 and passed away on December 17, 2023.
Source: theguardian.com
