Plot
Set in the Georgian capital of Tblisi in 1992, friends Eka and Natia look to leave childhood behind as they ignore societal customs and work to escape their turbulent family lives.
Release Year: 2013
Rating: 8.7/10 (3,118 voted)
Critic's Score: /100
Director: Nana Ekvtimishvili
Stars: Lika Babluani, Mariam Bokeria, Zurab Gogaladze
Storyline
Set in the Georgian capital of Tblisi in 1992, friends Eka and Natia look to leave childhood behind as they ignore societal customs and work to escape their turbulent family lives.
Cast: Lika Babluani -
Eka Khizanishvili
Mariam Bokeria -
Natia Zaridze
Zurab Gogaladze -
Kote
Data Zakareishvili -
Lado
Ana Nijaradze -
Ana - Ekas Mother
Maiko Ninua -
Sophiko - Ekas Sister
Tamar Bukhnikashvili -
Natia's Mother
Temiko Chichinadze -
Natia's Father
Berta Khapava -
Natela - Natia's Grandmother
Sandro Shanshiashvili -
Natia's brother
Endi Dzidzava -
Kote's Mother
Zaza Salia -
Kote's Father
Giorgi Aladashvili -
Kopla
Gia Shonia -
Kopla's Friend
Marina Janashia -
Teacher
Country: Georgia, Germany, France
Language: Georgian
Release Date: 19 September 2013
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
Official submission of Georgia to the Oscars 2014 best foreign language film category. See more »
User Review
Author:
Rating: 6/10
In Bloom is a Georgian submission on Oscars. Movie's original title
literally translates as "Long Bright Days" and tells a story of two
young best friends during early years of Georgian independence in 1992.
Story of these two girls expose problems of our society which most of
Georgians still face nowadays: domestic violence, ignorance, struggle
between generations of parents and children.
Eka & Natia are two teenagers living in extremely violent society,
where you have no chance to find justice, or somebody to support you,
even your family. This is war going inside of families and outside of
them and mostly because grownups (parents) are not capable of dialing
their lives. Sadly, their children get more harmed than they do. It is
time when boyfriends give guns to their girlfriends, instead of some
fluffy gifts, to ensure that they are safe, when underage boys can beat
to death anybody they wish and when nobody cares if somebody gets
killed in front of them. It's a story of massive ignorance of actions
that are believed to be immoral, at least, today.
In Bloom clearly shows deconstruction of functional society, how they
accept violence on a daily bases - at schools, in the street, in the
families. 90s is a period when children started not to understand their
parent because they can not live with the mistakes adults have made, so
the whole film is about kids asking for answers which they never get,
because there is no one to answer.
I liked the movie, as a Georgian. I mean, it is close to me, very
understandable since I am familiar to every and each fact it talks
about. But the problem is that it seems to be made only for Georgian,
because I can't imagine anybody outside my country fully realize the
whole drama films is trying to tell. And this is because In Bloom kind
of lacks emotional depth. There is a scene when Natia, who's 14, is
kidnapped by a guy, who's in love with her, and raped by him and later
forcing her to marry. Having no choice, she does so, despite loving
another guy from school. It is the biggest drama, since it's been a
very common situation in Georgian life, lots of young girls have
experienced the same and everybody (still) are accepting this on the
moral or law bases. But, unfortunately, movie does not make this scene
that much dramatic, it actually "skips" the whole trauma, which I found
very irritating. If directors wanted to make other people understand
why Natia's life was ruined, they should have made this more emotional,
personal and clear.
What I enjoyed very much, is cinematography. Georgian films mostly lack
a good camera work, but In Bloom had very spectacular colors &
beautiful shots. Main characters, who have received numerous festival
awards, did brilliant acting job. They were best in delivering true
feelings & emotions of their lives. But I think, there was much more
directing work to do, that'd make film even more tense and interesting.
Oscar chances? It won't make it, unless Academy wants to have Georgian
film in final five (which won't happen). Mostly because it does not
deliver relevant story, story which can be understood by anybody and
not only by those, who've experienced it. This is a reason, why I give
it 6 out of 10, it is too local and I want that Georgian directors to
start filming more "international" movies.
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