WHITE SUN OF THE DESERT Film Screening (ENG subs)
Saturday 3. January at 18:30 - 20:00
FOMO Secret Cinema, Tbilisi
Vladimir Motyl | 1969 | USSR | 1h25m | Presented in the original Russian with English subtitles.
Sometimes referred to as "Soviet Lawrence of Arabia", WHITE SUN OF THE DESERT is set around the eastern Caspian and Central Asian desert regions, in an area that today overlaps modern Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and parts of Kazakhstan.
Set during the Civil War around 1918-1921 - it's never really made clear, purposefully - the film occupies a unique place in Soviet cinema. We follow a Red Army soldier escorting a group of women across a barren desert while waiting for orders that never quite arrive. What unfolds is part adventure film, part comedy, and part meditation on duty and displacement.
The women, abandoned by their defeated Basmachi bandit leader, are adorned in beautiful costumes blending traditional Uzbek and Turkmen elements. Veils, layered garments, and rich textures reflect how Soviet filmmakers visually coded “Eastern” and “traditional” Central Asian life.
The film’s tone is deceptively light. The dry humour segues seamlessly into scenes of loneliness and quiet melancholy. Our protagonist dreams of home while remaining trapped in a transitional space, neither at war nor at peace. It could be 100 years ago or it could be today.
History has been kind to WHITE SUN OF THE DESERT. It is without question a visual feast. In the 90s the film the gained a new following and became something of a cultural touchstone. The more famous lines have made their way into modern memes.
A FOMO film club member tells me it's tradition for cosmonaut space crews to watch the film before embarking on space missions. I don't know how true that is. I've never been to the ISS but I can tell you beneath its accessible surface lies a reflection on historical uncertainty and the emotional cost of political change.
I'm really pleased to share this time capsule of a film at FOMO and I hope you'll join us for this special screening.
Location: FOMO Secret Cinema, Bazari Orbeliani, Tbilisi.
How to find FOMO: Enter the Bazari via Atoneli St above Carrefour and take the stairs immediately on your left behind the jewellery stand. The cinema entrance is one flight up in the stairwell. For a helpful video, visit instagram.com/fomo.cinema and click the Find Us highlight.
FOMO Secret Cinema • Bazari Orbeliani, 0102 Tbilisi, Georgia
