Locarno Winner ‘Holy Electricity’ Trailer and Director Teases U.S.-Mexico Docufiction

Georgian filmmaker Tato Kotetishvili, whose feature directorial debut, “Holy Electricity,” recently won the Golden Leopard in the Concorso Cineasti del Presente section at the Locarno Film Festival, is already gearing up for his next project. This time, Kotetishvili is working on a docufiction that focuses on a family attempting to illegally cross the U.S. border from Mexico.

The filmmaker also released a trailer for “Holy Electricity,” which will be competing at the Sarajevo Film Festival. Variety has been given exclusive access to the trailer.

In this untitled docufiction project, Kotetishvili follows a Georgian family on their three-week journey across Latin America, aiming for the U.S. The film unfolds through the eyes of a child, who remains unconcerned with past troubles or future anxieties, as explained by Kotetishvili.

The new project sees Kotetishvili reunite with producer Tekla Machavariani of Tbilisi-based Nushi Film. Kotetishvili, who also directed and filmed “Holy Electricity,” co-wrote the script with Irine Jordania and Nutsa Tsikaridze. “Holy Electricity” garnered significant attention at Locarno with a series of sold-out screenings. The production team includes Ineke Smits, Ineke Kanters, Lisette Kelder, Guka Rcheulishvili, and Marisha Urushadze for GoGoFilm, The Film Kitchen, and Arrebato Films.

“Holy Electricity” tells the story of two cousins who discover a suitcase full of rusty crosses in a scrapyard. They decide to turn these crosses into neon crucifixes and sell them door-to-door to the gullible faithful of Tbilisi. The film combines comedy and the struggles of everyday life, depicting the cousins’ quest to pay off a gambling debt while also providing a vivid portrait of Tbilisi’s residents.

During an interview with Variety, Kotetishvili said the film takes inspiration from his own itinerant life and career, which often brings him to the outskirts of his hometown. “It’s very much connected. Wherever I go, I’m interested in places, people,” he stated. “Every time I’m looking for characters and locations. Sometimes, the locations themselves give me the possibility [to shoot]. I follow my heart, my intuition.”

“Holy Electricity” primarily features non-professional actors, a hallmark of Kotetishvili’s work. He appreciates the authenticity that non-professionals bring to their roles, as they naturally inhabit their characters in front of the camera.

The cast includes Nikolo Ghviniashvili (Bart) and Nika Gongadze (Gonga). Ghviniashvili was discovered by Kotetishvili while working on a short documentary about Tbilisi’s LGBTQ community. He portrays Bart, a trans man and junk dealer who hustles to make ends meet. Gongadze was spotted in a different documentary edited by a friend of Kotetishvili. His dual life as a clarinet student by day and punk rocker by night intrigued the director. As Gonga, he explores life’s deeper mysteries and fleeting loves after losing his father.

The chemistry between Ghviniashvili and Gongadze, along with the eclectic cast of Tbilisi locals, adds charm to “Holy Electricity.” Filming in actual homes, Kotetishvili captures a city steeped in religiosity and the everyday lives of its residents, mirroring his own free-spirited approach.

Kotetishvili aims to join the ranks of Georgian filmmakers who have won top honors at the Sarajevo Film Festival. Last year, Elene Naveriani’s “Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry” won best feature. “I think the connection between Sarajevo and Georgian cinema is in people and their history of struggle and finding their own identity,” said Kotetishvili.

The Sarajevo Film Festival runs from August 16 to 23.

Source: Variety