Koberidze Announces “Bilingual,” a Romantic Mystery Inspired by Pet Shop Boys
Georgian filmmaker Alexandre Koberidze, currently in Locarno wiht his competition entry “Dry Leaf,” is set to reunite with New Matter Films for his next project, “Bilingual.” This romantic mystery drama draws inspiration from the pet Shop Boys’ 1996 album of the same name.
The German-French co-production will unfold across two distinct narratives – one in France and the other in Georgia – both centered around women who are being actively sought. Koberidze notes that while the film may not overtly reference the Pet Shop Boys, it aims to capture the same atmospheric mood as their music.
“It’s a film in two parts,” Koberidze explains.”One is set in France and is more of a criminal-detective story. The second part is in Georgia. It also has a kind of detective narrative but is more of a romantic story.And these two stories,in a very little way,melt into each other.”
With the script completed and funding secured from the German Federal Film Board (FFA) and the Franco-German film funding commission (thru FFA and France’s CNC), koberidze plans to begin filming next year. The project is a collaboration between New Matter Films and France’s Tripode Productions.
“Bilingual” represents a notable departure and expansion in scale compared to Koberidze’s recent work, including “Dry Leaf,” a meditative road movie following a father’s search for his daughter in Georgia. The film sees Irakli traveling through remote villages, retracing his daughter Lisa’s steps as a sports photographer documenting rural soccer fields.
“Dry Leaf” follows Koberidze’s critically acclaimed 2021 Berlin competition entry, “What Do We See When We Look at the Sky?” and accompanies Irakli and Lisa’s friend, Levani, on their journey across the country, encountering kindness and quiet moments along the way.
Georgian Director Koberidze Explores Childhood and Authenticity in “Dry Leaf”
Georgian filmmaker Alexandre Koberidze’s latest work, “Dry Leaf,” continues his exploration of soccer’s role in life and memory, building on themes present in his previous film, 2017’s “Let The Summer never come Again.” Koberidze’s unique approach to filmmaking, including his choice of camera, contributes to the film’s distinctive aesthetic and focus on everyday life.
Koberidze reflects on the importance of improvised soccer fields in childhood, describing them as “magical places” where “so much passion and tears and joy” unfold. He elaborates, “I like football and when I think about my childhood, these improvised little football fields are more or less the first kind of common thing which kids are doing together because it’s super simple: you just put stones there. But somehow you have to make it in a group; you have to have this desire, and then you have to decide, okay, how wide is it? Which stones do we take?” He was driven by a desire to capture the diversity of these spaces across Georgia, noting the varying materials used – “sometimes it’s stones, sometimes it is sticks, sometimes it’s just bags.”
The process of making “Dry Leaf” mirrored the journey of its characters, involving travel to remote villages and inquiries about local soccer fields.
Notably, Koberidze shot “dry Leaf” on a Sony Ericsson W595, a camera he has used consistently since 2009. He describes this as a natural extension of his personal practice, akin to “keeping a visual diary.” This long-term use of the same camera contributes to a distinctive and familiar visual style.
Despite Georgia’s renowned scenic beauty, Koberidze intentionally avoided overly picturesque landscapes, fearing thay would resemble a “Discovery Channel” documentary. He aimed for authenticity and a more grounded portrayal of the country. He specifically avoided regions he felt looked “to exotic.”
“Dry Leaf” is being handled for world sales by Heretic.https://heretic.com/