Wet Sand

Everyone deserves to live near the sea. The sea should be heard from every city. Except... the price to pay is intolerance of individual (in this case sexual) choices to the Balkan extremes of death and destruction.

A movie that lifted off once the central character came into town from Tblisi to this troubled but beautifully peaceful small coastal town.

Would file it under small-town life, even though many would focus on the homosexual relationships between the various characters. Even the village cop looks like he would not look out of place in a Village People tribute (intentional or a little excessive?).

Georgia is not that different to anywhere else.

Praying for peace in the region.

Intolerance and small-mindedness are unpalatable enough in themselves, but, when taken to horrifically unthinkable extremes, they become utterly repulsive atrocities. Such is the case in this disturbing tale of life in a smalltime resort/fishing village on the Georgian Black Sea coast, where those who are different in any way - be it sexually, culturally, religiously or otherwise - are more than just ostracized; they become the targets of abject humiliation, brutal repression, unrepentant discrimination and even physical abuse. To make matters worse, those who inflict these venomous ways on others are often ignorant hypocrites who profess to be pinnacles of moral and ethical standards while openly engaging in acts and deeds to the contrary. Writer-director Elene Naveriani's second feature outing makes a powerful statement about the revulsive dangers associated with these activities and holds nothing back in doing so, telling its story with formidable performances, chilling writing and impactful cinematography. Admittedly, the pacing could stand to be a bit brisker at times, but the deliberateness with which the tale unfolds simultaneously works wonders for the picture's rich character development and prevailing mood. "Wet Sand" may not be an easy watch, but it will certainly leave quite an impression, one that both infuriates and inspires anyone concerned about seeing these injustices rectified.

Gentle, sensitive and multilayered movie. This is about more than homosexuality alone, it's also about being different and not being accepted in backward societies because of that. How many awards does a movie director need before people really start looking at his/ her movies. Nice music, good acting.

The Georgian film Wet Sand (2021) was co-written and directed by Elene Naveriani.

Bebe Sesitashvili portrays Moe, a young woman who travels to a Black Sea village because her grandfather has committed suicide. On the surface this village is full of friends. However, many of the friendships are more superficial than real.

Homosexuality plays a role in the plot, and there's no shortage of homophobia in this small village. That's why the film was shown as part of Rochester's superb ImageOut, the LGBTQ Film Festival.

The movie has a weak IMDb rating of 6.9. I'm not sure why the rating is that low--it's a powerful, well-made film. I rated it 9.

P. S. If you plan to see the movie, don't watch the trailer--it gives away too much of the plot.