The Dazzling Light of Sunset
Dariko and Kakha are an ultra-low-budget news team at a local television station in rural Georgia. They prepare an endless stream of reports to cover current, local events: an owl capture, a beauty pageant, approaching elections and the death of a local hero. While receiving vague threats from politicians to coerce favorable coverage, and criticism from the community for not covering corruption enough, the two find themselves forced to search for funding to support their broadcasts. Director Salome Jashi’s static camera captures the emotionless choreography of these ceremonies in wide-angle shots, in contrast with the dynamic panning of the small camera held by a television reporter whose energetic activities keep the local television station going. The result is an observational tragicomedy that reveals a country in perpetual transition.
Before studying documentary filmmaking at the University of London, Salomé Jashi studied journalism and worked as a reporter in Georgia. Returning to Georgia, she founded the production company, Sakdoc Film. Jashi was also part of Caucadoc, a project supporting the development of documentary films in the South Caucasus.