Of course, with me rushing to get out the door for the 6.15 showing, the boss would choose that moment to have a chat! Anyway, a train was just pulling in as I came down the stairs at West Ken station, and waited for me, and I arrived at the bridge in good time. It's been so long since I crossed it in daylight, it was quite the experience.. and the skyscrapers reminded me of my 3D jigsaw of London! :-)
Anyhow, as I was making my way to the box office to collect my ticket, the final call was announced. As I waited, panting, for the person at the box office to verify my identity, she reassured me that I had all of three minutes. Well, that's ok then! Sure enough, they were still filing in when I arrived at the screen, and I soon sank gratefully into one of the BFI's plush seats. I keep forgetting how much I like it here! I was slightly to the side, but never mind.
Turns out that this was the UK premiere, that it was a preview, and that it was also the opening film of the BEV - the Birds Eye View Film Festival. Which turns out to be a festival about women in film. Anyway, I won't get to see any more of it. No wonder it was so heavily booked, though! Before the film, there was some speechifying, including an address from the festival director - or someone - who explained that the director, who's Georgian, couldn't get a visa to come here tonight, so wouldn't be present for the Q+A. (Boo!)
So, this is a coming-of-age film set in Tbilisi in 1992. It centres on Eka, who's 14, whose father is in prison for murder, who has to queue every day to buy bread, who's bullied regularly by a couple of guys in her class, and whose best friend's father is a violent drunk. And that's not even getting into the story! With this kind of thing, you always wonder whether it's a kind of autobiography. It's certainly a coming-of-age story with a difference, as you encounter constant violence - violence against women is expected, it seems, and violence of all kinds is commonplace. Guns are easily available, nobody bats an eyelid at a drive-by kidnapping, or the results of it. Which I won't go into, so as not to give away too much of the plot. And most families are afraid of their sons going off to fight in the civil war in Abkhazia.
And in the middle of all this, we have a young girl learning to be an adult, in the absence, frankly, of a single decent role model. Someone behind me was tut-tutting frequently, and frankly, any inhabitant of western Europe would be appalled at most of what happens in this film. I was quite shocked myself. Indeed, our hero is having none of it, and gets herself a black eye for her troubles. But, again, I won't go into that - it's part of the main plot line.
And for all that, it's a delightful film to watch! Rated at 8.3, you expect something special, and that's what you get. I actually spent some time trying to figure out why I liked it so much. This is the first Georgian film I've seen, and it's great to get a peek into another country. Certainly, also, the leads are charming. It's beautifully shot, and presents the city very well. And it was just a pleasure. Even when we were busy being shocked by the story. Highly recommended, when it comes on general release.
Tomorrow is the last film of the week, when I go to see The Wind, a silent film from 1928, starring Lillian Gish. Again, I booked it, because it was more than half sold out already - it's in The Electric Cinema in Notting Hill. Billed as the classiest cinema in London, with armchairs for seats, separated by little tables, some of which have lamps on them. And at £18 per ticket, those armchairs had better be comfortable! And on Thursday, I'm off to see Hedda Gabler, playing at Fulham Palace - must remember to charge the camera for that! STILL no mention on their website - I had to contact them for booking info, and they emailed me the link - http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hedda-at-fulham-palace-apr-10-11-12-tickets-9521708687?aff=eorg. And then it's back to Ireland for the weekend..
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