Life after war

8 min.

Life after war

26.09.21

Hotel Iveria located in the heart of Tbilisi used to be Georgia’s most vivid reminder of war and forced migration. 

In 1992-1993, during the armed conflict between Georgia and Abkhazia,  Iveria was one of the first buildings where internally displaced people were settled.  For 13 years, it was the most famous shelter for the displaced in Georgia. The main protagonist of the film, Nona, spent almost half of her forced exile at Iveria. This hotel became a microcosm of internally displaced persons, uniting several lost cities within one building. Despite living in the city center, the residents remained isolated.

In 2004  Iveria was sold. After the Rose Revolution in Georgia, all reminders of forced migration slowly vanished from the center of the capital. Today, however - 30 years after the fighting - there are still displaced people waiting for permanent housing.