Original Title: Loto- ლოტო
Short synopsis
Love and crime and secrets and dreams intertwine in this ensemble tale that wends its seductive way through a tight-knit community in a Georgian seaside town. Nothing is as it seems in the modulating rhythms of fate, the shifting loyalties and the ultimate reality that “neighborhood” sometimes really means “family”.
Long synopsis
Drawing Lots is an ensemble tale of subtly interlinked stories set in a close-knit neighbourhood of Georgia’s second city, Batumi. The lives of neighbours such as a talented and troubled aspiring rock star, petty criminals, a concert violinist, angsty and love-struck teenagers, betrayed lovers, fractured families and many others intertwine in various ways, some expected and familiar, some surprising and secret, some contentious, some passionate and forbidden, but always coloured by the underlying tribal magnetism of community.
In this unassuming urban enclave, everybody is looking for something – money, treasure, friendship, success and, especially, love. But each quest is elusive in its own way, as these engaging characters learn one by one that desire is as changeable as a young man’s heart.
The title refers to the central image of the neighbours playing a bingo-style game, their cacophonous and good-natured bickering exemplifying the community’s dynamics, and the game itself exemplifying the randomness of life, the fickleness of fate.
Technical Information
2023; Drama; Georgia, Lithuania; 84 minutes; B/W; DCP; ProRes HQ; Aspect ratio: 1:1,66; Sound 5.1; Original language: Georgian; Subtitles: English
Director and writer
Zaza Khalvashi
Co-director
Tamta Khalvashi
Editing
Levan Kukhashvili
Cinematography
Giorgi Shvelidze
Sound design
Jonas Maksvytis
Original music
Minco Eggersman
Producers
Sulkhan Turmanidze, Ieva Norvilienė, Tekla Machavariani
Production
BAFIS
Co-production
TREMORA
With the support of
Georgian National Film Center Lithuanian Film Center
Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara
Taia
Inga Jakhutashvili
Marlen
Guladi Goguadze
Sonia
Leila Bibineishvili
Son in law
Anri Mutidze
Daughter
Lika Demetradze
Neli
Suzana Grigoriani
Zhora
Omar Beridze
Kishmara
Nodar Qiqava
Abasa
Giorgi Pirtskhalashvili
Ayhan
Anka Eliseenko
Zuriko
Nika Zoidze
Tina
Nana Kikvadze
Babulia
Tamila Meishvili
Natela
Ana Sakhltkhutsishvili
Givi
Zura Gorgiladze
Rita
Mariam BItsadze
Takhira
Lasha Kontselidze
Shura
Eter Gobronidze
Kavtara
Zurab Kavtaradze
Zaza Khalvashi was born in 1957 in Batumi, Georgia. Dies in 2020 in Tbilisi, Georgia.
In 1979 graduated from Tbilisi State University faculty of philology, then completed a course at Tbilisi Rustaveli Institute of Literature. In 1982 graduated from Tbilisi State Institute faculty of film directing, studied under two prominent Georgian directors’ supervision – Tengiz Abuladze and Rezo Chkheidze.
Before Winter 2020 he divided his time between his art and teaching. As a full professor he gave lectures in film directing at Batumi State Art University, also managed Film and Television Department. On the other hand he was the founding manager of film studio BAFIS, which produced his two latest films – “Solomon” and “Namme”.
Zaza Khalvashi has served on a number of significant public posts in the Adjara region of Georgia, namely in 2004-2005 he managed Public TV and Radio Corporation of Adjara region; in 2007-2012 he managed Batumi Chavchavadze State Drama Theatre and in 2013-2016 he was chairman of the board of councilors of Public TV and Radio Corporation of Adjara region.
Filmography
Time- short film/1981/ Director
Echo- short film/1985 /Director, Writer
There where I live – feature film/ 1992 /Director, Writer
Miserere- feature film/1996/Director, Writer
Round Dance of Wolves- TV series, 12 episodes/ Imedi TV 2004/ Director Solomon- feature film/ 2015/Director
Namme- feature film/ 2017/Director, Writer
Tamta Khalvashi is professor of Anthropology at Ilia State University in Georgia. She obtained her PhD in Anthropology from Copenhagen University (2015)
She has been awarded postdoctoral fellowships from Fulbright Program at New York University, Department of Anthropology (2016-2017) and Cornell University, the Society for the Humanities (2022-2
Her research interests are located in the overlap of experimental anthropology, documentary filmmaking and cultural anthropology.
Currently Tamta is finalizing her book Peripheral Shame: Afective City and Nation on the Margins of Georgia as well as the documentary film will of Frames.
She is an author of A Sea of Transience: Politics, Poetics and Aesthetics on the Black Sea Coast (with Martin Demant Frederiksen).
She was instrumental in finishing feature film project Drawing Lots after director Zaza Khalvashi passed away in 2020.
