BRIEF SUMMARY
"It Was A Dream" is a fictional musical short film, inspired by the true story of Giuli Chokheli, the most famous female Georgian Jazz singer in her time, sometimes referred to as the Georgian Ella Fitzgerald. It is the bachelor film from Meri Gelagutashvili (screenplay and film directing) and Johanna Neef (1st assistant director), which will be realised with the help from Georgian production company Studio+1.
We are honoured that Guili Chokheli has agreed to play herself as the main actress (at the age of 87!), with Veronika Kalandarishvili, one of Georgia's most famous film and theater actresses in our times, as supporting actress, playing a young aspiring jazz singer named Anna.
Our short movie will be produced and shot in Tbilisi, Georgia and have it's premiere in March 2023 in Cologne, Germany. It will be in Georgian, with English subtitles. We will be submitting our short movie to several international film festivals, and also creating the film as NFT to submit to NFT film festivals.
DIRECTORS STATEMENT
Giuli Chokheli was born in 1935 in Tbilisi, Georgia. Her singing career began in the mid-1950s and she went on to become the leading jazz singer in what was then the USSR. Her career peaked in the second half of the 1960s, when she took first place at the "Sopot" Music Festival, which no one from the then Soviet republics has been able to emulate to this day. She started recording in the 70's when her first work was recorded and released in Poland. More records followed in the 80s, as well as more concert appearances all over the world. In the USA she was invited to a jazz concert as a special guest in Carnegie Hall in 2000, and to this day Giuli Chokheli is in the American archive of the musical elite. In Europe she was even in the top 5 of the "Best Female Singers" list.
Although Giuli Chokleli laid the foundations for jazz music in what was then the Soviet Union and revolutionized commercial music as a woman, she is little known today. Her career has spanned 40 years all over the world, to this day young singers perform her songs as covers, but Giuli Chokheli is very lonely in Tbilisi. During her life, she has suffered some significant strokes of fate, most notably the death of her daughter, husband and mother, which has had an impactful influence on her life.
As a proud Georgian and aspiring female film director, her story inspired me but also made me very sad. If Giuli had been born American, she would still be recognisable on the street today, and probably be enjoying her morning coffee on her penthouse terrace overlooking Manhattan. However, since she was born Georgian, hardly anyone recognizes her today and she lives in poverty with her dog Jennifer.
For a small (and insignificant to the world) country like Georgia, it's not often that such talent shines worldwide, and I felt the urge to share a snapshot of Giuli's story as a short film. Giuli has achieved so much in her life, and at a time when it was even more difficult for women than it is today. That is why I would like to honour her and her successes with my film and thus draw attention to her and Georgia's musical talents by setting a cinematic monument to Georgia's greatest singer.
MEET THE TEAM
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MERI GELAGUTASHVILI (M.G.) - Screenplay & Film Director
Meri Gelagutashvili was born in 1993 in Georgia, and since she can remember she has wanted to become a film director. She began writing at early age and directed her first theatre play already as a teenager in school. Since then, she has participated in several projects, writing screenplays and directing short films, most recently in the directing department of "action concept", one of the leading independent film producers in Germany. Currently, Meri is in her final year at Macromedia University in Cologne, Germany, studying Film Directing. "It Was a Dream" is her bachelor film.
JOHANNA-FRANCESCA NEEF (J.N.) - 1st Assistant Director
Johanna-Francesca Neef was born in 1998 in Germany, and is also currently in her final year at Macromedia University in Cologne, Germany, studying Film Directing. To date, she has also gained experience in several projects as set-runner, assistant director, producer, and co-director, most notably at "Daheim in den Bergen." "It Was a Dream" is also Johanna's bachelor film.
KONSTANTINE-MINDIA ESADZE (M.E) - Executive Producer (Studio+1)
Mindia was born in 1972 in Georgia, and has extensive experience as producer, cinematographer, and director. Amongst known movies with his involvement are "The Precinct" (2010), "The Guardian" (2012), "Keep Smiling" (2012), "Disorder" (2013), "Dinola" (2013), "Grandpa's Debtor" (2014), "Scary Mother" (2014), "The President" (2014), "Krasnyy" (2016), and "Shindisi" (2019). His most recent movie, featuring David Lynch "The Other Me" was released in 2022.
GELA CHINCHALADZE (G.CH) - Camera (Studio+1)
Gela was born in 1976 in Georgia and has large scale experience behind the scenes in Camera and Cinematography, including short films. Some of his work include: "Subordinacia" (2007), "Up and Down" (Documentary Short 2008), "Street Days"(2010), "Bad People" (Short 2019), "The Animal" (Short 2019), "Safe Corridor" (2019), "UnTrue" (2019), "Kakhetian Train" (Short 2020), and"The Lady of Heaven" (2021). His most recent involvement as cinematographer was in "Mila" (Short 2021), directed by Salome Vepkhvadze, was shortlisted in the Svaneti International Film Festival in 2022.
WHAT WE NEED & WHAT YOU GET
We have successfully secured €20,000 from our university (Macromedia), family and friends. We have committed to use this funding for the film crew, small part actors, live jazz band, locations, requisites, tech equipment rental for tone and light, make-up, costumes, catering, transport of actors, music licenses, and post-production.
We are looking to raise another €5,000 for our actresses. We would like to show our gratitude especially to Giuli, for agreeing to play herself as our main actress at the age of 87. We also want to thank Giuli for her contribution to raising Georgia's profile internationally during not so easy times.
Should we be able to raise more, we would like to make an additional contribution to our crew members, the jazz band and the jazz club in Tbilisi, who will be featured, thereby promoting Georgia's local jazz scene.
