Father, Developed
Father, Developed
After she discovers canisters of undeveloped film shot by her late father, Elene sets out on a journey to collaborate with him on a special project.
Political tension grows in 1990s Georgia and the horror of it causes an epidemic of heart failure, which attacks and kills young men, in particular–creating a generation of fatherless children. Elene is among the many who never met their fathers.
One day she discovers her late father’s belongings–an old analog camera, obscure light devices, yellow lenses, and dusty negatives that have been hidden in a corner of the house for many years. With this discovery, Elene gets the opportunity to reconstruct her father Soso and bond with him through his photography.
Between the earth and the land of the dead, a darkroom becomes the only dimension where the paths of a father and a daughter can cross. Printing photos taken by Soso allows Elene to engage and work with her dead father for the first time.
What do two people who have never met have to tell each other? How can this strange collaboration happen? Are Elene’s hopes quixotic?
The film has received both international and local recognition. It was named Best Short Documentary Film and awarded the Golden Prometheus at the Tbilisi International Film Festival. It received a Special Mention at the Kutaisi International Short Film Festival. Father, Developed was also selected for the short film competition of the Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival.