Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry
Charming Georgian drama about a surly spinster who, while her friends only talk about hot flashes and menopause, suddenly allows a man into her life. But on her own terms.
Etero, a 48-year-old woman living in a small village in Georgia, never wanted a husband – and is still a virgin. She cherishes her freedom as much as the cakes in her shop. But her choice to live alone is the cause of much gossip among her fellow villagers. Unexpectedly, she finds herself passionately falling for a man, and is suddenly faced with the decision to pursue a relationship or continue a life of independence. Etero must grapple with her feelings and decide how to find her own path to happiness.
Elene Naveriani’s third feature film fits in a recent tradition of Georgian female filmmakers addressing traditional gender norms in rural Georgia, which is still very patriarchal. As in Tamta Melashvili’s novel of the same name, Etero embodies another role model, that of a strong and independent woman who knows exactly what she wants, a non-conformist, untouched by the judgement of others.