Interview with Eldar Shengelaia, a renowned producer

‘It was clear from the beginning that ex-Premier Zurab Zhvania was killed. They concealed it but these reckless people don’t know that nothing can be hidden in this world! …He was my teacher of politics’…- says famous producer Eldar Shengelaia, who intends to dedicate a film to his deceased friend.
Q. – Mr. Eldar, as far as I know you are starting to shoot a film that will be dedicated to your political past…
A. – Ministry of Culture promised to allocate the sum needed for shooting of the film and I hope everything will be settled…Tentative title of the film is ‘Chair’ and it has the following contents: a former minister wasn’t reelected but he still desires to be in politics and doesn’t believe that such a misfortune fell upon him. He still lives in a governmental cottage and so far as he wasn’t reelected, according to the law, he has to leave the place. He has a spouse who has such a big influence on him that actually she is a minister. The husband fulfills whatever his wife says and she doesn’t want to leave the cottage. In the end, some change takes place in the minister and he is transformed (in the beginning there is an episode where refugees from Abkhazia address the minister with a request but he pays no attention to them and even ousts them from the building). I want it to be a humane story. For this reason, in the end, the bribe-taker minister will transform into a normal person. He will guess that he was wrong and he sinned.
Q. – Many people will see in this film the story of a minister of previous authorities. For instance, Vano Merabishvili’s wife’s influence as well as his ‘dacha’ will be mentioned so many times that …
A. – I don’t want to define concretely. You remembered Vano Merabishvili, others will recall other ministers…If I start concretizing it will be a documentary but in a feature film everything must be generalized.
Q. – Earlier you declared that when you left politics only afterwards you realized that many politicians bought ‘dachas’, took bribes and didn’t conduct decent life…
A. – Yes, it is true and it will by all means be reflected in the film. I spent so many years in politics but I have no ‘dacha’. I have a flat and that’s it. I had a car when I worked but now I don’t have it… At that time many people became rich and it’s dishonest. Our people faced hard times then; but you pocket the money, don’t think about people and only shout –‘Long live Georgia!!!’
Q. – It’s known that you considered Zurab Zhvania to be your close friend. You entered politics t because he requested to; after his death you left politics…recently Giorgi Baramidze declared too that Zurab Zhvania was killed…Are you planning in your film to say something about it as well?
A. – It was clear from the beginning that Zurab Zhvania was killed. They concealed it but these reckless people don’t know that nothing can be hidden in this world! The Bible has it that –everything hidden will be revealed…Of course I’m offended and condole on Zurab Zhvania’s death because Zura was an unusual person. He was my teacher of politics. I’m not a politician but I know for certain that if Zurab Zhvania were alive, Georgia would enjoy quite different realty; today we wouldn’t be in such a difficulty. He was an extremely educated man and without education nobody can achieve anything. At the same time he was a man of high morale, a Christian. In his study there were plenty of icons and candles were always lit…As for the film, ‘Chair’, it is dedicated to him but I have to shoot a separate film about Zura.
Q. – In an earlier interview you also mentioned that when he was alive, Zurab Zhvania wouldn’t let you leave politics…
A. – Yes, there was a period when I wanted to return to films but Zurab told me that he needed me very much because I carried authority. I loved and respected him so much that I couldn’t resist…I don’t regret for the years spent in politics. It was a kind of experience. When I entered politics there was even no light in Georgia so, anyway, I wouldn’t be able to shoot a film…
Q. – We remember your role in the ‘Rose Revolution’ when you led demonstrators with a rose in your hand…
A. – Yes, I too participated in the ‘Rose Revolution’ and stood beside Mikheil Saakashvili. I thought Misha would manage to do a lot but…But now, when everything is being denied, it isn’t right. Saakashvili made a lot of mistakes and first and foremost war with Russia was inexcusable; but he did positive things too – connection with Europe, America and others…In life we have to see the black as well as the white. Prison videos were so dreadful that I started watching them but then I switched it off. I just couldn’t watch it.
Q. – How do you take the future of our country? We know that your brother – Giorgi Shengelaia’s position in this regard is hopeless.
A. – To say the truth, I share my brother’s position. We expected a lot but for the time being the economy is in a very bad condition. New force isn’t seen. If young people founded a new party I would by all means support it. Future belongs to the youth but for some reason such a party isn’t set up. I’m very afraid, when ‘Georgian Dream’ disintegrates, they may begin fight and eat up each other because of a chair.