Wie Luft zum Atmen

I was chair of an NGO in Kutaisi Georgia from 2007 to 2012 and involved with its twinned city of Newport in Wales and all things Georgian. The churches, the wild-life the wine, the Georgian feast and chacha- a grape brandy made by locals , the dance and the music. Ruth Olshan from Germany was also interested in the music and made this brilliant and moving documentary about the new generation who were trying to reclaim Georgia from the Russians and keep their amazing choral tradition alive. The scenery in Georgia is so magnificent that you might think it is easy to make a documentary of this sort but Olshan is a skilled director who has produced a moving and heartwarming account. What I especially liked were the sections on female choirs and their powerful presence and recalcitrance in a country where some communities are still in the dark ages when it comes to women's rights. A beautiful, moving and aurally gratifying film.