AFI FEST FILM REVIEW: “And Then We Danced,” a coming-of-age, joyful drama about personal liberation and self-realization in Georgia. Unforgettable, warm, and unique.
The Swedish, Georgian, and French co-production, shot in the Caucasus region, chronicles the story of three aspiring professional dancers: Merab, Mary, and Irakli, the newcomer. They train hard and compete to win a coveted spot in the prestigious National Georgian Ensemble.
The first conflict arises when the strict instructor demands that the students adhere to the rules of the predominantly “masculine” dance. At the same time, the young dancers want to soften the harsh regulations of the old traditions, something nearly impossible in their society.
The second conflict occurs on a lucky day when a new dancer arrives, disrupting the group’s natural balance. Irakli is a strong male who impresses everybody with his prodigious dancing skills, instant charisma, and charming smile. Everybody, including Merab, feels jealous and powerless when he enters the competition.
Besides prestige, being a lead dancer means being socially accepted, making the family proud, and being a much-needed steady source of income in difficult times.
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| And Then We Danced, still courtesy of Music Box Films. |
The rivalry between Merab and Irakli intensifies on the dance floor, but their common struggle draws them together.
Merab slowly discovers that his happiness and world center around another man, Irakli. Feeling pushed aside, Mary hangs on to her friendship with Merab and will do anything to keep him happy.
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| And then We Danced. Actor Bachi Valishvili, director Levan Akin, and actor Levan Gelbakhiani. Photo by José Alberto Hermosillo, Festival in LA ©2019 |
“And Then We Danced” takes an authentic approach to Georgian and Armenian cultures, blending those traditions with the modernity of a new generation who want to express themselves freely in their homeland.
The daring writer/director Levan Akin originally planned to make a documentary on Georgian dancers. After watching the first footage, he saw a coherent story and turned it into a feature with a formal narrative. He went out to the streets without permission and shot it “Guerrilla-Style.”
Akin considers himself an extensive researcher, and to make his film even more authentic, he studied the symbolism in Georgian dances, music, and costumes. Then, he juxtaposed those traditional elements of the country’s contemporary culture, subtly displaying the differences between parents, grandparents, and the invigorating youth.
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| And Then We Danced, still courtesy of Music Box Films. |
Initially, Akin interviewed some of the best dancers from a locally established dance group, many of whom already knew each other. Once the cast was set, they spent three months rehearsing.
Levan Gelbakhiani and Bachi Valishvili never knew each other before being cast as Merab and Irakli, respectively. Nevertheless, they dived in and found the chemistry right from the very first moment - and they could externalize those deep emotions for each other in front of the camera from the beginning.
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| And then We Danced. Actor Bachi Valishvili, director Levan Akin, and actor Levan Gelbakhiani. Photo by José Alberto Hermosillo, Festival in LA ©2019 |
First-time actor Levan Gelbakhiani is as extraordinary as Merab. His performance brings freshness and intensity to the character. His most challenging scene was dancing alone in the living room - not only because of the space limitations but also because of the physicality required and the real pain he felt in his feet. The young actor recounted how his grandma dragged him to those Georgian dance performances – she wanted to pass on her ancestral culture to her grandson.
Bachi Valishvili plays Irakli beautifully and has a bright future ahead of him in showbiz. He is a professional dancer, not an actor, but he is open to continuing to grow as an actor and a person. He humbly expressed that during Q&A at Fest 2019.
The vivid soundtrack contains traditional Georgian folk music that contrasts with the joyful ABBA songs. The director clarified that ABBA was very popular in Georgia when it was part of the Soviet Union.
“And Then We Danced” is the most controversial film in Georgia’s history, not only for centering the story on a young man who discovers his fascination with another man, but also for mixing new mannerisms with traditional, charged, sacred dances, all with an enormous amount of testosterone and masculinity. These manly rigorous dances are also used as part of their formal weddings.
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| And Then We Danced, an Armenian wedding. Photo courtesy of Music Box Films |
The director and the cast received death threats during and after production. The actors said they were surprised by the public’s hostile reactions in their native land. Anti-gay groups sent interrupters to the screenings, and even today, some people are very upset about using the Georgian “ultra-masculine” culture in what they called a “gay movie.”
Amid the conservative confines of Eastern Europe, Georgia is perhaps one of the most progressive countries when it comes to LGBTQ rights. However, those civil liberties are not embraced by all members of society. In other former Soviet Republics, including Russia, the punishment is considerable jail time.
Georgian dance schools were established in the 1950s as a symbol of national identity to preserve centuries of dance tradition. Today, talented and attractive folk dancers are a big tourist attraction.
Yet another controversy arose when Sweden, not Georgia, chose “And Then We Danced” as its best International Feature Film candidate for the 92nd Academy Awards.
This charming and delightful picture is worth seeing more than once for its honesty and authenticity. After all, we only live once and should do it openly with different cultures and lifestyles.
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| And then We Danced. Actor Bachi Valishvili, director Levan Akin, actor Levan Gelbakhiani & film critic José Alberto Hermosillo, Festival in LA, ©2019 |
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