8.6 /10 1 Votes
| 8.5/10 IMDb Cinematography Lomer Akhvlediani | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Written by Revaz InanishviliTengiz Abuladze Starring Sofiko ChiaureliRamaz Chkhikvadze Music by Bidzina KvernadzeJacob Bobokhidze Distributed by Cannon Film (US theatrical)Ruscico (DVD) Initial release 23 August 1977 (Soviet Union) Screenplay Tengiz Abuladze, Revaz Inanishvili Cast Similar Repentance, The Legend of Suram Fo, The Plea, Magdana's Donkey, Melodies of the Vera Quarter | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Natvris khe the wishing tree
The Wishing Tree (Georgian: ნატვრის ხე , natvris khe, Russian: Древо желания, drevo zhelania) is a 1977 Georgian drama film directed by Tengiz Abuladze. It won the Lenin Prize, the All-Union Film Festival main prize and other prizes. The film is based on Giorgi Leonidze's short stories. The textures of folk legend and striking visual allegory permeate The Wishing Tree, an episodic pastorale set in a pre-revolutionary Georgian village and spanning four seasons in the lives of various village characters. Some twenty-two stories are woven into the narrative, which centers on a beautiful young woman who is forced to marry a man she does not love; her unsanctioned love for another leads her to ritual disgrace and sacrifice.
Contents
Plot
The Wishing Tree begins with a gorgeous scene, a field of poppies, where an even more beautiful horse, named Tetra, is in agony. A young man, Gedya (Soso Jachvliani) rushes to his rescue, but loses the battle, and his horse dies surrounded by poppies. This scene will certainly be remembered, as Abuladze will once again bring the audience back to the red poppies, where in the end, only the careful viewer will understand its deep meaning. By the time Gedya finds the strength to recover from his loss, he and the entire village is stunned by the incredible beauty of a woman who has come to their town- Marita (Lika Kavjaradze). As soon as Gedya and Marita see each other, they fall in love. But their happiness won`t last forever. The elders of the village have decided to marry her to a wealthy young man against her wish…
The Wishing Tree is set in a pre-Revolutionary Georgian village, where at that time they had their own rules and prejudices that were the law. Even though a man and a woman are equal in their society, Abuladze brings an academic meaning to it. He makes it clear that having privilege does not mean you may take advantage of it. Abuladze crafted every scene with so many symbols and meanings that it is hard to cover all of them here. However, one thing must be emphasized in The Wishing Tree is how Abuladze shows that even after a huge disaster, a thunderstorm that ruins everything in its path, life still goes on; the Wishing Tree will still be there, waiting, for the one who will finally make the right wish…
Music
The film score is composed by Georgian composers Bidzina Kvernadze and Jacob Bobokhidze.
Awards
The film won several film festival prizes.
