Cinema
ქეთო და კოტე
Synopsis
Makari, a rich merchant of Tbilisi, wants to ally himself with the aristocracy and instructs a matchmaker to find a nobleman for his daughter Keto: she produces Prince Levan Palavandishvili, old, vicious and covered in debts. But Keto loves Kote, the prince's nephew, a young poet who comes to see her disguised as a tutor. With their friends and the matchmaker Khanuma, the two young people set about outwitting the old men.
Context
The film comes from Avksenti Tsagareli's comedy “Khanuma” and the opera that Viktor Dolidze had drawn from it, whose music it reuses. The screenplay is by Sergo Pachalishvili, the cinematography by Alexandre Dighmelov, the sets by Ioseb Sumbatashvili, the music by Archil Kereselidze and the editing by Vassili Dolenko; Medea Japaridze and Batu Kravéichvili play the title roles, Tamara Chavchavadze the matchmaker and Petre Amiranashvili the prince. It was produced by the Tbilisi studio and was released on 10 October 1948.
Who it is for
Eighty-five minutes, in Georgian, with no French release. It helps to know that the play it comes from is one that audiences in Tiflis have known by heart since the nineteenth century.
Prizes and reception
The film has remained one of the most rewatched Georgian comedies, and is still shown today on television and online.