December 9, 2014, 4:00 p.m. — Waiting for Mum (2011), In Bloom (2013)
In Bloom
2013. Georgia/Germany/France. Directed by Nana Ekvtimishvili, Simon Gross. Written by Ekvtimishvili. Two young girls on the cusp of adulthood forge an unlikely friendship in this blistering coming-of-age tale, which heralded the arrival of a Georgian New Wave in 2013. “Every Georgian in Georgia should be armed,” intones a speaker on the radio as young Eka impassively rides a bus; it’s 1992, and Georgia is on the cusp of war. For Eka and her friend Natia, however, violence is even closer to home—whether in the form of fighting parents, young wannabe thugs, or various thwarted suitors—and their only solace is the strength they find within themselves. Photographed by master Romanian cinematographer Oleg Mutu, this auspicious feature debut garnered several awards. In Georgian; English subtitles. 102 min.
