THE ENTREATY

Symposium

A philosophical and poetic reflection, divided up into several novellas full of archetypical images, upon the centuries-old tradition of blood revenge between Caucasian Christians and Muslims. Aluda, a Khevsur, is cast out by his Christian village community after he defies tradition by refusing to strike off the arm of his slain opponent Muzala, a Muslim Kistin. When he is subsequently invited into the house of a Kistin with whom he went hunting, the Kistin villagers put the precepts of blood law before those of hospitality, and gruesomely murder Aluda according to their rites. Only one Kistin woman has the courage to mourn over the corpse. VEDREBA is one of the most important films of the thaw period.
Vedreba (Molba) / Das Gebet
GSSR 1967 / 73 min
Director: Tengis Abuladze
  • Screenplay: Tengis Abuladze,Rezo Kveselava,Anzor Salukvadze
  • Cinematographer: Aleksandr Antipenko
  • Cast: Spartak Bagašvili,Rusudan Kiknadze,Ramaz Chikvadze
  • Production Company: Grusia-Film - Tbilisi
A philosophical and poetic reflection, divided up into several novellas full of archetypical images, upon the centuries-old tradition of blood revenge between Caucasian Christians and Muslims. Aluda, a Khevsur, is cast out by his Christian village community after he defies tradition by refusing to strike off the arm of his slain opponent Muzala, a Muslim Kistin. When he is subsequently invited into the house of a Kistin with whom he went hunting, the Kistin villagers put the precepts of blood law before those of hospitality, and gruesomely murder Aluda according to their rites. Only one Kistin woman has the courage to mourn over the corpse. VEDREBA is one of the most important films of the thaw period.
  • Screenplay: Tengis Abuladze,Rezo Kveselava,Anzor Salukvadze
  • Cinematographer: Aleksandr Antipenko
  • Cast: Spartak Bagašvili,Rusudan Kiknadze,Ramaz Chikvadze
  • Production Company: Grusia-Film - Tbilisi