A contentious Georgian film has become the focal point of an expanding international legal case threatening artistic freedom and highlighting persistent tensions between Georgia and Russia.
Georgia’s official Academy Award nomination, “The Antique,” faces a lawsuit from Russian and Croatian film producers over its Venice Film Festival screening. The legal action is aimed at the film’s production business, Cinetech Film Production, and the festival’s Giornate degli Autori Association.
The film, directed by Rusudan Glurjidze, is based on a highly personal historical event: the mass deportation of Georgians from Russia in 2006, during Vladimir Putin’s first presidential term. Glurjidze herself was among those deported, lending the film a compelling personal tale.
Moscow-based Viva Films, Pygmalion Film Productions, and Croatia’s Avvantura have filed a lawsuit claiming damages for “improper use of the film” at public screenings in August and September 2024. This judicial appeal followed an earlier emergency decree that prevented the film’s premiere.
“This is an increasingly aggressive attempt to undermine an anti-Putin film,” producer Zurab Magalashvili stated. He contends that the producers involved in the film’s early phases no longer have a valid legal claim.
The director discussed the emotional impact of the continuing court battle. “This delay has shattered my emotional stability and crushed my faith in justice,” she added. “But despite intense pressure to censor, we remain resolute in our fight.”
The film’s creative producer, Marie-Pierre Macia, has openly backed the Georgian crew, saying simply, “The truth is on the side of Rusudan Glurjidze and her team.”
The legal issue is expected to continue, with a hearing scheduled for December 4 in the Venice Court. Glurjidze has even considered taking the subject to international tribunals, describing it as “a new Georgia versus Russia—or perhaps even Italy.”
The case emphasizes the complicated interplay between artistic expression, political tension, and legal maneuvering in contemporary international cinema. As the December 4 hearing approaches, the film business and art world are closely watching how this drama of artistic opposition plays out.
