On Being Dziapshipa

Surnames in Georgia reflect both history and geography. Depending on your family name, people can tell where you are from and sometimes who you are. An “uncommon” last name rarely goes unnoticed. Filmmaker Anna Dziapshipa knows it well. Her Abkhaz surname stirs emotions in Georgia: some recall the acclaimed 1950s soccer player, Niaz Dziapshipa; most remember the region Georgia lost after the brutal conflict of the early 1990s. In this experimental video, Dziapshipa delves into the intricate layers of what nationality and identity mean, starting from the challenge writing or saying her own surname has always been.