Merab has been training since a young age at the National Georgian Ensemble with his dance partner Mary. His world is suddenly turned upside down when the charismatic and carefree Irakli arrives and becomes both his strongest rival and desire. In this conservative setting Merab finds himself having to break free and risk it all.
Merab is a student at the Academy of the Georgian National Ballet in Tbilisi. His greatest dream is to become a professional dancer. When Irakli joins the class, Merab initially sees him as a serious rival for the longed-for place in the permanent ensemble. The competition soon turns into an ever-increasing desire. But in the school's homophobic environment, which upholds conservative notions of masculinity, the two are expected to keep their love a secret. The rousing love and dance drama by Swedish director Levan Akin was hailed as a discovery in Cannes and has received numerous awards since then, including four categories at the Swedish Guldbaggen Film Prize. Against the queer hostility that is alarmingly widespread in Georgia, the director, whose family is also from the country, counters with a determined celebration of non-heterosexual love. Leading actor Levan Gelbakhiani, one of the European Shooting Stars of the Berlinale 2020, was showered with awards for his gripping performance and was nominated for the European Film Awards.
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And then we danced | Yorck Kinos Berlin