THE WISHING TREE (ნატვრის ხე)
Tengiz Abuladze | USSR (Georgia) | 1976 | 1h47m | Georgian with English subtitles
One of the great achievements of Georgian cinema, Tengiz Abuladze's THE WISHING TREE is an extraordinary blend of folklore, tragic romance, dark humour and visual poetry. Set in a rural Georgian village before the Russian Revolution, it portrays a community where superstition, tradition and the judgement of others can determine the course of an entire life.
At its centre is Marita, a beautiful young woman whose love for a local shepherd is forbidden by the village elders. Forced into marriage with another man, she becomes the focus of a tragedy that exposes the cruelty beneath the community's deeply held moral convictions.
Abuladze and his longtime collaborator, cinematographer Lomer Akhvlediani, create a remarkable succession of images, drawing upon Georgian religious iconography, painting and folk traditions. (They did four of Abuladze's best films together.) To call this film beautiful, or a "work of art" would be an understatement. Characters are silhouetted against vast mountainous landscapes, gather in carefully arranged compositions and move through scenes that resemble a living tableaux. The result is cinema that communicates as much through imagery, music and gesture as it does through the sparse dialogue.
The film is adapted from the writings of Georgian poet Giorgi Leonidze, which weaves together twenty-two stories populated by dreamers, eccentrics, romantics and outcasts. Among them is a man searching for a mythical tree that grants wishes and a fortune-teller awaiting the return of a lost lover. Their stories unfold across the changing seasons, alternating between tenderness, absurdity and devastating sadness.
THE WISHING TREE forms the second part of Abuladze's celebrated trilogy, following THE PLEA (1967) and preceding REPENTANCE (1984). Though each stands independently, all three examine the conflict between individual conscience and collective authority, and the terrible consequences when families (THE PLEA), small communities (THE WISHING TREE) and societies (REPENTANCE) abandon their compassion.
A landmark of Soviet-era filmmaking, ნატვრის ხე remains an essential work of Georgian cinema and a film that deserves to be experienced on the big screen.
10% OFF FOOD, PLUS GROUP DEALS
Dinner before a film at FOMO is now sorted! We’ve arranged special offers with our two favourite places to eat in Bazari Orbeliani, both right next door to FOMO.
10% off at La Focacceria
20% off at Potato Factory
Potato Factory 2+1: buy two and get one free
Potato Factory 3+2: buy three and get two free
Simply show your Fienta ticket when ordering.
You’re welcome to eat in the Sherekilebi Bar at FOMO Secret Cinema or upstairs at FOMO Open-Air Cinema. Tell them where you’ll be sitting and they’ll bring your food to you.
FOOD AND DRINK POLICY:
SHEREKILEBI Bar in FOMO Cinema opens 1 hour before the first screening of the day and closes at 01:30, serving a wide selection of beer, wine, cocktails, and non-alcoholic refreshments, as well as fresh hot popcorn! Outside food is allowed in the bar but not in the cinema. No alcohol or drinks from outside allowed. All guests are invited to arrive early and stay late!
LOCATION:
FOMO Secret Cinema, Bazari Orbeliani, Tbilisi. A five minute walk from Liberty Square metro.
HOW TO FIND FOMO:
Enter Bazari Orbeliani via Atoneli St above Carrefour and take the stairs on your left to Level 1. Signage on the door. You can also check our Instagram story highlights for a video showing exactly how to find us: https://www.instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE3OTMzMTA2Mjk0MDI5MjM1
REFUND & CREDIT POLICY:
If FOMO cancels a screening, all ticket holders will receive a full refund. If your plans change and you can no longer attend, we’ll issue you a credit for the value of your ticket, which can be used for any FOMO film screening within the following 30 days.
TICKETS are also available to purchase over the bar if not sold out.
FOMO Secret Cinema • Bazari Orbeliani. Enter via Atoneli St above Carrefour and take the stairs on the left behind the jewellery stand up one floor, 0105 Tbilisi, Georgia
