https://chaidocs.com/ 2026-09-24 daily 1.0 https://chaidocs.com/FilmCollection.html 2026-09-24 daily 0.9 https://chaidocs.com/program.html 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/podcast.html 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/about.html 2026-09-24 monthly 0.7 https://chaidocs.com/contact.html 2026-09-24 monthly 0.6 https://chaidocs.com/film/a-friend-in-prison-me-next-to-the-prison 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/a-friend-in-prison-me-next-to-the-prison.webp A Friend in Prison, Me Next to the Prison A solitary protest outside a prison becomes a symbol of freedom, justice, and solidarityWhen Dato’s friend is arrested at a protest and sentenced to 10 days in prison, Dato goes to the Zahesi detention center and begins a solo protest. Soon, his sister Salome joins him. Standing side by side in the cold, their quiet determination became a powerful symbol of friendship, freedom, and the courageous stand for truth. This act of solidarity demonstrated the immense power of unity and compassion to the thousands gathering at Georgia’s pro-European protest movement. https://chaidocs.com/film/a-friend-in-prison-me-next-to-the-prison https://chaidocs.com/film/every-war-leads-to-one-address 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/TbUWeJ-vM7o/maxresdefault.jpg Every War Leads to One Address The War Veterans Military Hospital of Georgia provides free healthcare for veterans from different wars. The State Department of War veterans seized financing the hospital due to the lack of state resolution. The doctors continue to work for free, while requesting the continuation of the state program, and patients have to buy medication themselves. https://chaidocs.com/film/every-war-leads-to-one-address https://chaidocs.com/film/when-it-comes-to-90s 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/E_4RLb1et4A/maxresdefault.jpg When It Comes to 90s Avtandil Margiani is a former member of the Georgian Parliament (1990–1995) and Vice Prime Minister (1992–1995). He now leads the political movement Ertiani Sakartvelo (“United Georgia”), whose office is located in Tbilisi, inside a building of the former Institute of Mining Chemistry.This observational film follows the everyday life of the movement’s office, where political discussions, routine administrative work, and quiet moments unfold within the worn interior of a Soviet-era institutional space. https://chaidocs.com/film/when-it-comes-to-90s https://chaidocs.com/film/naira-and-nora-old-friendship-new-technology 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/naira-and-nora-old-friendship-new-technology.webp Naira and Nora: Old Friendship, New Technology Naira and Nora had many things in common - loneliness was just one of them. Another was time to spare. At 77 and 87 respectively, the two women did not have much to do in Kutaisi, Georgia’s third largest city, and, since their children had left for Greece and Russia in search of work, they were left without anyone to care for. Then in 2010 Naira Meskhia and Nora Vashakmadze met in Kutaisi’s Social Center for Elderly. Founded in 2004 by the Red Cross Georgia*, the facility serves as a community centre for older people, organizing activities and courses, including on computer literacy - and the energetic friends got quickly into it. There, the two energetic women resurrected their mutual love for singing and set up an ensemble which regularly performs at the centre. It was wonderful until it lasted. Nora has not been performing since February 2017 as she joined her daughter in Greece. Yet, those computer skills came in handy and technology has kept their friendship flowing. Today photos of their daily lives are shared via Facebook and Viber, while Skype has proved to be a creative tool to sing together. https://chaidocs.com/film/naira-and-nora-old-friendship-new-technology https://chaidocs.com/film/my-room 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/my-room.webp My Room Through the creative use of archival footage, a documentary filmmaker Maka Gogaladze tells a story of her family - from her birth till the present day, intertwined with the turbulent history of Georgia over the last 30 years. The two storylines of the film are very different in terms of scale but they represent the same plot, since the events that shaped the history of the country have defined and shaped her personal life as well. https://chaidocs.com/film/my-room https://chaidocs.com/film/safe-zone 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/RZ4k4diJdLw/maxresdefault.jpg Safe zone I am from the generation that was born during and after the war, in a closed and isolated society. I have not experienced Armenians and Azerbaijanis living, working and co-existing together. I do not have memories from those times; I have stereotypes that the society, school and the media taught me and everyone else in my generation. The words “enemy” and “Azerbaijani” had always been synonyms for me until I went to Tbilisi. This story is about a “hidden” community of Armenians and Azerbaijanis who can only meet in a third country, who have the need to talk to each other, to listen to the other side and who eventually become friends. Awards: Best film in GIPA Doc U, 2020. Adami Media Prize, 2020. https://chaidocs.com/film/safe-zone https://chaidocs.com/film/them-us-and-the-ruins 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/clXVhFek3-0/maxresdefault.jpg Them, Us and the Ruins This film follows the journey of a group of young people who wanted to visit the Kelbajar/Karvajar region before it was handed over to Azerbaijan. The filmmaker documents her own thoughts and feelings as her camera captures the chaos they meet along the way. After 44 days of war, on the evening of November 9, the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia signed an agreement to end the armed conflict over Nagorno Karabakh. With the Russian-brokered agreement Armenian forces had to withdraw from several territories, including the seven regions that were under Armenian control since the first Karabakh war. Kelbajar / Karvajar is one of those regions, situated in between Armenia and former NKAO (Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Oblast). When the region was taken by Armenian forces in 1994, the ethnic Azerbaijani population living in the area were forced to leave their homes. After the November 9 agreement, the ethnic Armenian population that settled in Kelbajar/Karvajar after the war had to leave their homes by November 25. Armenians from around the country hurried to visit the old Dadivank Monastery, which is situated in Kelbajar/Karvajar, one last time before it was handed over to Azerbaijan. https://chaidocs.com/film/them-us-and-the-ruins https://chaidocs.com/film/jane-jan 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/MLc6KPa__y8/maxresdefault.jpg Jane Jan As skirmishes and battles fester on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, the author of the film lives and creates with her Azerbaijani friend Aysel. Their friendship is unique because they are citizens of enemy countries. This film represents their daily lives and national problems, which they have to face everyday in their personal lives. The attitude of their own societies is ambiguous. Nobody knows yet that a war will break out in September. Even though they are citizens of bordering countries, they have to travel safe, third countries to meet. They maintain hope--to visit each other’s homelands and never worry about being labeled the “enemy”-- despite the situation on the border. The film was prepared in August of 2020. A month later, the Armenian-Azerbaijanian war took away their friends. Despite the fierce emotions stirred by the fighting, they continued to stay true to their values and friendship. https://chaidocs.com/film/jane-jan https://chaidocs.com/film/online-mother 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/F5xd9b8voTo/maxresdefault.jpg Online Mother Virtual relations became a part of our reality over the past few decades. The covid-19 pandemic made it especially actual, even painful. Online Mother is a film about the virtual relations in the family, distance, and belonging, mostly caused by poverty in post-Soviet Georgia. After experiencing motherhood online for a year, the author of the film, Ketevan Vashagashvili is returning to her son in Georgia. At the same time, the film explores the stories of four Georgian emigrant mothers who live in different developed countries to earn a living for their families in Georgia. These women’s stories capture the lives of a generation of mothers who left their children in Georgia with the hope to earn some money and return soon. In reality, some of them spend years, even decades abroad. This ‘participatory’ short film is created with the collaboration of mothers who are still desperately waiting for the day they can see their loved ones again. https://chaidocs.com/film/online-mother https://chaidocs.com/film/georgia-s-abandoned-village-cinema 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/sMUFlHsai0I/maxresdefault.jpg Georgia’s Abandoned Village Cinema The stage of the large, unused movie theatre in the village of Nagvazao faces 400 empty seats. This remarkable building has become a memorial to cultural life in the region. Nato started working at the theater 30 years ago. Officially, it closed and lost its status in the 1990s, when the country fell on hard times. Despite the fact that everything she used to do has been shut down, Nato continues going to work and fighting for the future of the building and the role of the municipal cinema. Camera: Levan Adamia Editing: Giorgi Dekanoidze https://chaidocs.com/film/georgia-s-abandoned-village-cinema https://chaidocs.com/film/sounds-of-religious-rituals-and-daily-life-in-tbilisi-neighborhoods 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/U8NE5VqNH-M/maxresdefault.jpg Sounds of Religious Rituals and Daily Life in Tbilisi Neighborhoods Every corner of Tbilisi has its own sound and rhythm. At different times of the day, amid the cacophony of noise, there is a moment of harmony that is regularly repeated and becomes the main sound layer in some neighborhoods. In those neighborhoods, the sounds of religious rituals pervade and coexist with the noise of daily life. An uncontrolled, boundaryless sound layer often mixes spaces with different meanings. This diffusion of sounds often confirms the polyphonic nature of the universe. The film Strings is an attempt to document ritual ambient sounds in Tbilisi. Camera: Mariam Samushia, Shio Khidasheli _ _ _ https://chaidocs.com/film/sounds-of-religious-rituals-and-daily-life-in-tbilisi-neighborhoods https://chaidocs.com/film/god-thank-you-for-tea 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/m4Hr27BKhY0/maxresdefault.jpg God, Thank You for Tea In the 1950s Laituri, a village of 2697 residents, buzzed with life. Georgians, Russians, Armenians and Azerbaijanis flocked to the rural centre in western Georgia to work on the tea plantations that used to dot the region during the Soviet Union. The break-up of the USSR sent the production into freefall - families were left without a vital income and Laituri’s kaleidoscope of languages, religions, ethnicities faded and disappeared. Today scores of locals have turned into seasonal migrants who travel to pick tea in neighbouring Turkey’s fields. God, Thank You For Tea tells the story of those whose lives were shaped by these scented tea plantations. https://chaidocs.com/film/god-thank-you-for-tea https://chaidocs.com/film/left-at-the-mercy-of-god 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/Fw17LvFYm9U/maxresdefault.jpg Left at the Mercy of God Sixty-three-year-old Genadi Bosikov and his 67-year-old wife, Svetlana, are the only inhabitants of Qobi, a Georgian village a few kilometers away from the disputed administrative border with South Ossetia.Bosikov, an ethnic Ossetian, has stayed here to look after his ancestors’ land. He works hard to harvest garlic, onions, beans and wheat, and is happy to share his crops with a guest.People rarely visit the Bosikovs because they are the only family living here. The couple’s children live in Austria and don't visit Georgia often.Bosikov misses the time when the village used to be full of people. He also misses his family.But it’s the lack of information, not the solitude, that scares him most. For this reason, he worries about not having electricity. He thinks that Russian soldiers might occupy the village unexpectedly.Yet he refuses to leave. Qobi is where his ancestors lived, and, therefore, so will he. https://chaidocs.com/film/left-at-the-mercy-of-god https://chaidocs.com/film/hunter-erects-the-city 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/aHKu-uVSubo/maxresdefault.jpg Hunter Erects the City I entered the women’s most sacred, secret space to explore femininity as a union of sexuality and freedom. The Sulphur baths teem with naked bodies, but that profusion of flesh and skin leaves room to disremember beauty standards and recreate a more complete and truthful feminine figure. I disassembled women’s bodies to find unity. The creative process was like an epiphany as the partition revealed a unique wholeness. Yet that which creates can also destroy. Our modern world (ab)uses this creative process: in advertisements, images and words are cut into pieces and collaged together to misrepresent and damage the female body. The path to shape our bodies according to a dictated, widely internalized model can lead to alienation. At the end of that track, we often only hurt our bodies and our confidence. As I delved into the video’s verbal element, I discovered texts written by women - their words were bold, their messages daring. I disassembled those sentences through cut-up techniques. What I have got as a final result could be a general feminine manifesto. And my personal one. It is our collective, perfect body-- and its voice. https://chaidocs.com/film/hunter-erects-the-city https://chaidocs.com/film/i-came-to-leave 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/i-came-to-leave.webp I Came to Leave 104-year-old Satenik wants to give life to her old house, which has been uninhabited for 20 years. She is the only one taking care of this big, abandoned house. It's a place, where she has lived for approximately 80 years of her long life. All her memories are related to this place. She knows the story of every single object, and every stone in this house. But now everything is dying for her in the space dear to her, and she wishes to die here. The film shows how an old woman feels after she had to move from her native village, native house. Moreover it shows how much all these things and places, dear to her, mean. Satenik has 7 sons. Even though she realizes that none of her sons, grandchildren and great grandchildren need this house in the small, disappearing village, deep in her heart, she still hopes that one of them will come to live here and take care of everything. She herself came to leave... https://chaidocs.com/film/i-came-to-leave https://chaidocs.com/film/the-last-generation-brotseula-s-female-railroaders 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/vUSjFu8c-zM/maxresdefault.jpg The Last Generation: Brotseula’s Female Railroaders In the 1970s, young women from throughout the USSR came to Georgia to work on repairing railway lines at Brotseula, a railway-maintenance hub several kilometers outside of the central Georgian town of Kutaisi. They were paid well for the time and, as temporary employees, thought that they would soon return home. In the meantime, they lived in passenger cars at Brotseula. But most of these 40-some women never did go home. Some married, had families and settled down in Brotseula. The Soviet government eventually constructed apartment buildings for them. Today, only ten still work at Brotseula. They are the last female track workers there and soon will retire. https://chaidocs.com/film/the-last-generation-brotseula-s-female-railroaders https://chaidocs.com/film/the-vertigo-effect 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/the-vertigo-effect.webp The Vertigo Effect Georgians, like people anywhere, can share the same history, walk the same streets and speak the same language, but still live in groups isolated from each other, in different surroundings. They analyze and evaluate the past that belongs to their collective and emotional memory in different ways -- some are in bondage to that history, while others seek to escape it. This can lead to a type of vertigo that distorts perspectives. The future looks different to everyone. Any point of intersection between these groups, where they can find a common perspective, completely disappears. This film attempts to unite these different spaces into one. Film has been selected as a part of the GroundCinema's short film screenings. https://chaidocs.com/film/the-vertigo-effect https://chaidocs.com/film/bounded-by-memories 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/bounded-by-memories.webp Bounded By Memories After finishing household tasks, Armenian and Azerbaijani women used to sit together and drink tea and discuss things; that was their moment of peace. Today, women have the same routine but their old neighbors are gone. The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict closed the border between Armenians and Azerbaijanis and introduced tension that has restricted their lives and their relationships. https://chaidocs.com/film/bounded-by-memories https://chaidocs.com/film/i-am-taking-my-homeland-with-me 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/i-am-taking-my-homeland-with-me.webp I Am Taking My Homeland With Me Georgians arrived in Istanbul at different times with different aims. Today they are scattered throughout this foreign city but each one is creating their own version of Georgia, a reflection of what they miss from home. https://chaidocs.com/film/i-am-taking-my-homeland-with-me https://chaidocs.com/film/goodbye-to-a-language 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/Bp7p2pjczMg/maxresdefault.jpg Goodbye to a Language? For centuries the Batsbi proudly populated the highlands of Tusheti, in north-eastern Georgia. Their language, Bats - also known as Tush-Tsova - was part of that pride. Bats belongs to the Nakh family of Caucasian languages, like Chechen and Ingush; but since it is not mutually intelligible with either, it is unique. Little remain of that glorious past. The Bats, is inexorably fading, threatened by demography and assimilation with the Georgian language. Unesco lists it among the “severely endangered” languages, estimating the number of speakers to be 500. Almost all of them live in Zemo Alvani, a village of 3,000 people down in the lowlands crossed by the Alazani river, where the Babtsi settled in the 18th century. And almost all of them are over 50. Since Bats is not taught at school, what the odds of the language surviving for generations to come? Filmmaker Anna Sarukhanova set on a quest to find under-30s able to speak the language of their ancestors. https://chaidocs.com/film/goodbye-to-a-language https://chaidocs.com/film/every-hair-on-their-heads 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/every-hair-on-their-heads.webp Every Hair on Their Heads The 15m2 room is only for men. Located in the suburbs of Yerevan, Tolik’s Soviet-style barber shop is a place for them to relax: to tell their stories, discuss their worries -- and cut their hair. The barber shop has become a refuge for men, a place to escape from the new-age beauty salons that have become increasingly popular in the capital. 67-year-old Tolik is a respected figure for his customers, many of whom have trusted him for more than 40 years with their hair and their thoughts. In Armenia’s male-dominated society, this barber shop is one of the very few places where men can be open about their vulnerabilities -- including worrying about their hair and their appearance -- without being concerned about appearing weak. https://chaidocs.com/film/every-hair-on-their-heads https://chaidocs.com/film/a-day-like-no-other 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/a-day-like-no-other.webp A Day Like No Other Once a year in the villages of Kakheti in eastern Georgia, men sew their own clothes. They cut lambskin leather and colorful ribbons; they make huge masks studded with pumpkin seeds to imitate horns and teeth. Far away on the other side of Georgia in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region, men put on women’s clothes and dresses, braid their hair, and apply makeup. They then walk into the center of the village to celebrate and improvise a play. https://chaidocs.com/film/a-day-like-no-other https://chaidocs.com/film/i-am-gurji-i-am-georgian 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/i-am-gurji-i-am-georgian.webp I am Gurji, I am Georgian Abdullah Tataroglu lives in the village of Gazelli, in the Inegol Region of Bursa Province in western Turkey. Although he was born with Turkish surname, he has always considered himself a Gurji, which translates as “Georgian.” His ancestral roots lie in Adjara, the coastal province of western Georgia on the country’s border with Turkey. During more than two and a half centuries of Ottoman Turkish rule, many Adjarans converted to Islam while retaining the Georgian language and culture.By the end of the 19th century between 22,000 and 25,000 Adjarans had fled to Turkey; among them Abdullah’s great-grandfather Yusuf Mikeladze. https://chaidocs.com/film/i-am-gurji-i-am-georgian https://chaidocs.com/film/tomorrow-s-warriors 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/tomorrows-warriors.webp Tomorrow’s Warriors This film, compiled from earlier documentaries filmed in 2016, depicts daily life in a martial arts training center in the suburbs of the Georgian capital Tbilisi. Men of all ages perfect their skills at mixed martial arts, including Khridoli, a traditional Georgian fighting technique. As they see it, a fight might start anywhere; day or night, in the village or in the city. It could punctuate routine, daily life or break out at a wedding. Either way, these men want to be prepared. So do the boys: children from six years of age train here everyday and participate in a championship at the end of the year. Their families watch them practice from a specially designated area. https://chaidocs.com/film/tomorrow-s-warriors https://chaidocs.com/film/the-flight-2022 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/4r7g6fuILYE/maxresdefault.jpg The Flight 2022 Right after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, many Russians who openly opposed the regime fled to other countries. More than 30,000 have found themselves in Georgia as they sought to avoid political pressure and sanctions. Their arrival, however, has not been universally welcomed as Russia occupies 20 percent of their host country's territory. Mitya, a young Russian activist, provides insight into a newly formed Russian community in the Georgian capital that is trying to establish itself during these uncertain times. Mitya and his friends have to prove they are victims of the Russian government, not aggressors... https://chaidocs.com/film/the-flight-2022 https://chaidocs.com/film/dreamland 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/Fg3BryYFgxs/maxresdefault.jpg Dreamland Marisha, a 21-year -old student from the provincial town of Chakvi, works the night shift at a fancy seaside hotel full of Russian tourists to earn money for her studies in Tbilisi. When she arrives in the capital after two years of online classes, Marisha struggles to find a decent place to live, since rent prices tripled due to the influx of Russians escaping mobilization or arrest in their country. Her dreams of studying turn upside down. Through Marisha’s story, the film sheds light on the challenges facing thousands of other students in Georgia, who do not have access to quality housing or, subsequently, education. https://chaidocs.com/film/dreamland https://chaidocs.com/film/a-crypto-rush-aftermath 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/a-crypto-rush-aftermath.webp A Crypto Rush Aftermath Financial pyramids have been a consistent feature in Georgia’s recent history. State banks, private lenders, and construction companies have all taken money from people with the promise of future profit. But in most cases, the money has simply disappeared. The film shows the latest cycle of financial naivety–as well as society’s desperate attempts to earn money fast, even if very strange methods were needed. The film was shot in Javakheti, a southern region of Georgia on the border with Armenia and Turkey that is mostly populated by ethnic Armenians. https://chaidocs.com/film/a-crypto-rush-aftermath https://chaidocs.com/film/vanishing-villages 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/vanishing-villages.webp Vanishing Villages As a result of mining activities a rural part of Chiatura looks like a battlefield - a frontline, where houses are vanishing into the ground day by day. It is a cross-road, where people and economic interests intersect. Zhora Megrelishvili dedicated most of his adult life to building a house for his family. For years, he managed the whole process himself, building the house with his brothers. When he finally reached the point when he decided he could rest and enjoy the house with his grandchildren, the entire home was swallowed by a mine. Today, just a part of the roof is visible. Zhora and his family have been fighting for a year to prove that their home was destroyed as the result of mining by Georgian Manganese. He often visits the ruins of his home to look for his favourite instrument, a clarinet that disappeared the day the earth took his home. https://chaidocs.com/film/vanishing-villages https://chaidocs.com/film/the-house-is-gloomy 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/URw99JdxtSg/maxresdefault.jpg The House is Gloomy For a man returning home after two years abroad, readjusting to his former life seems more difficult than he imagined. Was two years too long or not long enough? Can he recapture a sense of belonging or will he always feel out of place? In this visual essay, the audience follows the protagonist along his journey, as he re-examines and reflects on the values that surround him and the society he belongs to –values that seem to be progressively rotting and decaying. https://chaidocs.com/film/the-house-is-gloomy https://chaidocs.com/film/the-cyclist 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/qP9schHmAH4/maxresdefault.jpg The Cyclist A dedicated activist and Bicycle Mayor of Tbilisi navigates urban hurdles in a ceaseless quest. Through her journey, the film unveils the paradoxical world taking shape around bicycles and cyclists in surreal urban complexities. https://chaidocs.com/film/the-cyclist https://chaidocs.com/film/glasses-crack-tablecloths-splinter 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/s9y5TSD6Sio/maxresdefault.jpg Glasses Crack, Tablecloths Splinter Since the advent of home movie footage, memory has entered into symbiosis with media — but, as decades pass, regimes change and file formats fall away, so too, does media disintegrate, and the memories depart alongside it. This film represents a conscious effort to revisit and re-articulate Georgian people’s memories of the 1990’s, through the time capsules of their newly digitised home video cassettes. https://chaidocs.com/film/glasses-crack-tablecloths-splinter https://chaidocs.com/film/ana-s-trial 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/hnFubFKrXSI/maxresdefault.jpg Ana's Trial Ana, a 36-year-old lawyer and human rights defender with a record of more than 30 precedential court cases, is going through a trial that might become a turning point, for her personally and for the future of Georgia. https://chaidocs.com/film/ana-s-trial https://chaidocs.com/film/the-twenty-kilometer-equation 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/Fu6dYOKsDm8/maxresdefault.jpg The Twenty Kilometer Equation With no bus service in her rural district, an Armenian teacher is forced to hitchhike 20 km every day to school.There is no public transportation in Mets Ayrum village in Armenia’s Lori region. The only way to travel to the nearest city is with a personal car or taxi, both of which are quite expensive. Aida Yerznkyan is a math teacher who lives in the city of Alaverdi and works in the secondary school in Mets Ayrum village. The lack of transport is a serious challenge for her, but she bravely undertakes the difficult journey, walking an average of 7 km every day during her 20 km commute to school. To travel the rest of the trip, she depends on hitchhiking and a bus. She leaves home every day, not knowing how she will get to work or what dangers she may encounter on the way. https://chaidocs.com/film/the-twenty-kilometer-equation https://chaidocs.com/film/a-chronicle-of-chaos 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/qpUMUHFrb5I/maxresdefault.jpg A Chronicle of Chaos The film chronicles the chaotic events that took place in and around Nagorno Karabakh over the past 3 years and the people who were uprooted by the conflict.In the end of September 2023, the road linking Nagorno Karabakh to Armenia was full of cars in an endless traffic jam. After a nearly ten-month  blockade, Azerbaijan attacked Nagorno Karabakh, starting a war that lasted a day. The road that was closed for months finally opened, although only as a way out. Over the past few years, the people of Nagorno Karabakh have faced  wars,  displacements, a blockade, and a deadly explosion. Anush Shahramanyan and Narine Karapetyan were among over 100,000 people who were forced to leave their homes in September. They reflect on the chaos and tragedy they have experienced these past years. https://chaidocs.com/film/a-chronicle-of-chaos https://chaidocs.com/film/in-the-presence-of-objects 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/s8n_54Lr_J8/maxresdefault.jpg In the Presence of Objects The memories held within everyday objects reflect the trauma of the massive exodus of Armenians from the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Delving into the world of displacement, the documentary examines  the significance of everyday objects, blending fictional elements with real-life interviews to paint a poignant picture of resilience and adaptation. https://chaidocs.com/film/in-the-presence-of-objects https://chaidocs.com/film/18-38 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/gEzjjz3XpVQ/maxresdefault.jpg 18-38 The life of an Armenian musician is turned upside down when he is unexpectedly drafted for military training, forcing him to balance duty, life, and the constant chatter about a possible war.This film tells the story of 38-year-old Armenian musician and composer Kay Khachatryan. His life takes a sharp turn when he receives a call-up for military training, disrupting his peace and causing anxiety. Wrestling with his new reality, Kay follows his own path. The film depicts the fate of artists in the South Caucasus, emphasizing the importance of individuality and space for creative self-expression.In Armenia, men are obligated to attend military exercises and drills while living at a military camp as part of the country’s compulsory military service. https://chaidocs.com/film/18-38 https://chaidocs.com/film/i-was-thinking-of-you 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/i-was-thinking-of-you.webp I Was Thinking of You The archival footage depicts everyday life in Kutaisi during the 1990s. This transitional period, as seen through the lives of citizens, politicians, artists, and journalists, reveals the acute and difficult challenges the country faced. https://chaidocs.com/film/i-was-thinking-of-you https://chaidocs.com/film/armour 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/armour.webp Armour In a historical city on the brink of an ecological disaster, seafront houses wear a coat of armour. A young artist returns to his hometown after many years and finds that it no longer feels like home. He begins wandering the city with a friend to reconnect with his childhood memories. During their journey he witnesses firsthand how environmental issues are eroding the city's once vibrant appearance and character. The artist's sense of alienation from the city acts like armor, helping him confront his fears and traumas. Through this film he also strives to rediscover himself. https://chaidocs.com/film/armour https://chaidocs.com/film/of-kids-and-the-sea 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/of-kids-and-the-sea.webp Of Kids and the Sea In a small seaside town, a children’s park, crafted from scraps of furniture, never sleeps and always waits for eager guests who never arrive. In the quiet, stagnant port city of Poti, where the Rioni River meets the sea, there is an unusual space. With old dolls sitting on tall poles alongside hand-painted birds and dolphins, an elderly man is trying to create a park for children and enrich their lives. This seaside park transforms throughout the day, assuming various roles: sometimes it serves as a gym, sometimes it’s a space for discussing politics and current affairs, and occasionally it becomes a hub for backgammon enthusiasts. Once in a while children also appear. However, at night, when the dolls are left alone, the park takes on a mystical atmosphere. https://chaidocs.com/film/of-kids-and-the-sea https://chaidocs.com/film/katarina-and-the-tiger 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/fZbArEebpOA/maxresdefault.jpg Katarina and the Tiger Eighteen-year-old Katarina stands at a crossroads. Having just left the orphanage, she is preparing for her entrance exams while also taking part in nationwide protests.Katarina, newly 18 and out of the orphanage, has faced a lifetime of injustice. With no clear vision for a better future, either for herself or her country, she becomes engulfed in the massive protests sweeping Georgia. She finds many connections between the orphanage and the modern Georgian political system. It seems that both self-expression and free speech are being suppressed in these cases. Though she sometimes loses hope, the support of her friends restores her faith.She turns to filmmaking, seeking to bring her struggles and adventures to a wider audience. 2024 is a crucial turning point for her: will she find peace as she steps into adulthood, or will she give up on her dreams? https://chaidocs.com/film/katarina-and-the-tiger https://chaidocs.com/film/docu-kids-may-diaries 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/tEU-N1CQZ1k/maxresdefault.jpg Docu Kids: May Diaries A group of college graduates document the tumultuous protests that rocked their nation, capturing the raw emotions and sacrifices of the youth fighting for their country's future. In the spring of 2024, when demonstrations against the “Agent's Law” began in Tbilisi, four graduate students took up a camera. Not only did they observe the unfolding events, but they also became direct participants in a crucial struggle for their generation. Against the backdrop of a tense and highly polarized political environment, the film uses candid interviews and raw footage to reveal the fears, struggles, anger, confusion, and occasional glimpses of hope within this generation. For the audience, the film illustrates how these events are intertwined with their aspirations for the future. https://chaidocs.com/film/docu-kids-may-diaries https://chaidocs.com/film/parallel-routes 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/X8KABL_-jiA/maxresdefault.jpg Parallel Routes Former journalists Narine and Tamara find meaning and hope for the future through education, school and students.A great desire to solve problems from their roots brought journalists Narine and Tamara to education. In 2017, Narine became a teacher for "Teach For Armenia" at a school in Vaghazin village in Artsakh, and Tamara created the Vicki club and a theater group in Karvachar. In 2020, shortly after the 44-day Armenian-Azerbaijani war, the young women returned to Artsakh and the school system. Displaced from Artsakh in 2023 and linking their only hope and faith to schools, both of them continue to work in "Teach For Armenia" as head of leadership development. https://chaidocs.com/film/parallel-routes https://chaidocs.com/film/a-day-of-laura 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/sAlAen-_ydk/maxresdefault.jpg A Day of Laura In a small town in western Georgia, a woman works tirelessly to survive, managing tasks indoors and outdoors, in strangers’ homes and her own. In a small town in western Georgia, a woman works tirelessly to survive, managing tasks indoors and outdoors, in strangers’ homes. and her own.Laura, a single mother from Baghdati, transformed her home into a hotel and named it after her daughter, Viktoria. Faced with challenging social and economic conditions, Laura works day and night to provide for her family. She cleans houses with other women and assists an individual with disabilities. Caring and cheerful, Laura represents the countless working women in Georgia, whose labor is often invisible but is vital to their communities. https://chaidocs.com/film/a-day-of-laura https://chaidocs.com/film/directors-as-observers 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/SwBi_SM-uvE/maxresdefault.jpg Directors as Observers Documentary filmmaker Salome Jashi and theatre director Davit Khorbaladze registered as volunteer observers for the 2024 parliamentary elections. Their observation focuses on the polling station, the voting process, the voters, and the precinct election commission. The two artists share this unusual experience, which brings together not only election day itself, but also the preparatory process and their reflections on the election results https://chaidocs.com/film/directors-as-observers https://chaidocs.com/film/aspara-ghost-village 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/YTA6TRg1k0E/maxresdefault.jpg Aspara, Ghost village Aspara, a village in Ninotsminda, has become one of the places where electoral votes are being sought. Surrounded by alpine mountains and Lake Paravani, the village has been stripped of its people by a harsh climate and infrastructural neglect. Yet in these emptied spaces, traces of laughter and joy still linger, clinging to the faded walls. https://chaidocs.com/film/aspara-ghost-village https://chaidocs.com/film/father-developed 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/d-13jbwz448/maxresdefault.jpg Father, Developed After she discovers canisters of undeveloped film shot by her late father, Elene sets out on a journey to collaborate with him on a special project.Political tension grows in 1990s Georgia and the horror of it causes an epidemic of heart failure, which attacks and kills young men, in particular–creating a generation of fatherless children. Elene is among the many who never met their fathers. One day she discovers her late father’s belongings–an old analog camera, obscure light devices, yellow lenses, and dusty negatives that have been hidden in a corner of the house for many years. With this discovery, Elene gets the opportunity to reconstruct her father Soso and bond with him through his photography.Between the earth and the land of the dead, a darkroom becomes the only dimension where the paths of a father and a daughter can cross. Printing photos taken by Soso allows Elene to engage and work with her dead father for the first time.What do two people who have never met have to tell each other? How can this strange collaboration happen? https://chaidocs.com/film/father-developed https://chaidocs.com/film/ashes-of-time 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/ashes-of-time.webp Ashes of Time My grandfather’s story is the story of the Soviet Union. Born in 1919, two years before Georgia became one of the Soviet Socialist republics, he passed away in 1997, six years after the communist project burned to ashes. Those 78 years of his life, like millions of others’, was marked by the USSR’s fate – fighting in World War II, joining the Communist party, getting married, striving for better housing conditions, acquiring more and more household items. It all culminated with the collapse of the USSR and soon after – his own death. His imprint on life was ultimately destroyed by a fire, which burned down his ancestral house. But some of the objects that filled his private space outlived him to tell the story of a communist man. https://chaidocs.com/film/ashes-of-time https://chaidocs.com/film/house-on-the-hill 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/jZbSUBv45ls/maxresdefault.jpg House On The Hill House on the Hill is a film about a palliative care facility, one of the most essential and distinctive parts of Georgia’s healthcare system.The film explores a place where, in a very short time, one comes to understand what truly matters in life. In this environment, every minute gains profound significance, and human presence, care, and dignity become more important than any material value.  https://chaidocs.com/film/house-on-the-hill https://chaidocs.com/film/a-life-of-her-own 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/G_aoN3o6eCQ/maxresdefault.jpg A Life of Her Own After 39 years spent in dependence and isolation, Nunu decides to leave her traditional family in Svaneti and moves to the capital. She tries to learn how to be herself as a person with disability. Nunu struggles to find her identity as a woman and as a professional. The film follows a strong character in her desperate search for the experiences that she has never had before. Awards: MAC Georgia's Shuki Movida award Special Mention: Focus Caucasus Competition in CinéDOC Tbilisi. https://chaidocs.com/film/a-life-of-her-own https://chaidocs.com/film/holidays 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/holidays.webp Holidays My grandparent’s house, where I used to spend my summer holidays,  always seemed scary to me. When I recall my childhood, I remember feeling fear and loneliness, mixed with a sense of mysticism. There was a time when I perceived objects as living things. I also imagined that my childhood home was very far from the rest of the world, standing alone in the backwoods.  I always deliberately tried to avoid the hallway on the second floor. The door leading to the living room  on that floor was always open and the photos of the dead stared down at me. Today I feel that my childhood house more closely resembles what I was afraid of when I was small. The places that were familiar to me have been replaced by nature. The scenes of life that intruded on a daily basis from the television are being absorbed by the sound of a rainstorm.  The author of this film bares sole responsibility for obtaining copyright clearance for any copyrighted audio or video materials that might be included in this film. Film was screened at CinéDOC Tbilisi International Documentary Film Festival. https://chaidocs.com/film/holidays https://chaidocs.com/film/on-being-dziapshipa 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/K5B4x4J2qWo/maxresdefault.jpg 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. https://chaidocs.com/film/on-being-dziapshipa https://chaidocs.com/film/two-or-three-things-i-know-about-religion 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/eUeh_APavWE/maxresdefault.jpg Two or Three Things I Know about Religion It’s a religious group, which, like others, attracts followers with its promises. But the main reward of the Georgian Christian Evangelical Protestant Church -- avoiding Georgia’s compulsory military service -- comes in this life rather than in the hereafter. The Church, registered by the Girchi (Pinecone) Party in 2017, offers male Georgians between the ages of 18 and 27 the chance, as allowed under Georgian law, to suspend their compulsory, year-long military service by becoming clergy. It has no other faith. Thousands – some 7,000, to be exact – of young people appear ready to sign on. Most are doing so to dodge conscription. They complain about conscripts’ inadequate pay (reportedly 75 laris or $30 per month) and menial work. https://chaidocs.com/film/two-or-three-things-i-know-about-religion https://chaidocs.com/film/traffic-diary 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/97w83uMqvhA/maxresdefault.jpg Traffic Diary The director, a scooter driver, collects the thoughts of passengers who are stuck in traffic and forced to think in a city paralysed by road congestion. https://chaidocs.com/film/traffic-diary https://chaidocs.com/film/ode-to-memorial 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/J784HYjwPsQ/maxresdefault.jpg Ode to Memorial Ode to Memorial — South Caucasus documentary film. https://chaidocs.com/film/ode-to-memorial https://chaidocs.com/film/a-village-sacrificed-for-manganese 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/Gc-TAUdX7xE/maxresdefault.jpg A Village Sacrificed for Manganese The village of Shukruti, like other villages in Georgia’s Chiatura region, is dying—slowly disappearing due to manganese mining beneath it. Mining has damaged homes, and in some cases, caused their complete collapse. For the past five years, the villagers have protested these harsh conditions, yet the local and central authorities continue to ignore them.Out of desperation, 24 days ago they started a hunger strike. In this short film, Giorgi Neparidze, a resident of the village, shares the story of their ongoing protest and describes the grim future awaiting the village. https://chaidocs.com/film/a-village-sacrificed-for-manganese https://chaidocs.com/film/her-village 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/her-village.webp Her Village Conflict and rapid socio-political change over the last two decades has significantly affected lives in Georgia’s rural communities. Marina Kokoeva, an independent member of the local council, is responsible for several ethnic Ossetian villages located in a remote eastern province of Georgia. In Georgia, 53 per cent of voters are women. Despite these, women are seriously under-represented in local government bodies. According to the results of the 2014 local elections, only 11 per cent of deputies nationwide are women. There are local councils where women are not represented at all. https://chaidocs.com/film/her-village https://chaidocs.com/film/emergency-reunion 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/emergency-reunion.webp "Emergency" reunion Until recently, there were only 20 families living in Gurdzauli, a village high in the mountains of Adjara. The Covid-19 pandemic and the state of emergency in Georgia brought unexpected changes to village life. To avoid the danger of being infected, families started to move back to their ancestral houses. Once deserted, the houses are now full of people. The family of Givi Bolkvadze, 51, is one of them. Thirteen people have moved back to the family home. https://chaidocs.com/film/emergency-reunion https://chaidocs.com/film/friendship-park 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/friendship-park.webp Friendship Park For generations of Gyumri residents, Friendship Park and its arches and stage were the city’s calling card. A magical place for art and play. That changed after the 1988 earthquake. This film documents the park’s glorious past, its rebirth and reopening, the work of public and private supporters who believed the park should reclaim its role as a symbol of the city. https://chaidocs.com/film/friendship-park https://chaidocs.com/film/fragments-on-resistance 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/fragments-on-resistance.webp Fragments on Resistance Amid political unrest in Georgia and Serbia, two friends document their changing world.Pavla and Levan meet in Sarajevo, documenting their journeys through photos and videos. After political unrest intensifies simultaneously in Serbia and Georgia, their reality begins to shift. Through reconstructed messages, we follow their journey from hope to uncertainty. Now, armed with cameras, they depict fragments of resistance, capturing a world in turmoil around them. https://chaidocs.com/film/fragments-on-resistance https://chaidocs.com/film/one-of-us-is-dead 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/one-of-us-is-dead.webp One of Us Is Dead A story about love, friendship, death and carpet.A dusty carpet stored in a garage lies at the heart of a love story - and a family tragedy. The film focuses on the director's own family, who have also been communicating with cameras from the moment she was born. https://chaidocs.com/film/one-of-us-is-dead https://chaidocs.com/film/bakhmaro-2050 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/bakhmaro_2050.webp Bakhmaro 2050 This film is dedicated to preserving the nature, air, and spirit of BakhmaroA unique resort is now in the hands of an investor. The 12-meter building contains 350 apartments and is expected to welcome 300 000 guests annually. The state granted 4.3 hectares of land to "Orbi" for a symbolic price of just 1 GEL.The painful experience of urban development in Georgia has led to catastrophic results for the director. Before intensive construction starts on the resort, Anka Gujabidze sets out on a quest in Bakhmaro to capture its untouched nature, way of life, and the daily lives of people on camera. What is imagined in the film becomes an inevitable reality for Bakhmaro, which may ultimately sacrifice its unique nature. https://chaidocs.com/film/bakhmaro-2050 https://chaidocs.com/film/father-developed 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/father_developed.avif Father, Developed After she discovers canisters of undeveloped film shot by her late father, Elene sets out on a journey to collaborate with him on a special project.Political tension grows in 1990s Georgia and the horror of it causes an epidemic of heart failure, which attacks and kills young men, in particular–creating a generation of fatherless children. Elene is among the many who never met their fathers. One day she discovers her late father’s belongings–an old analog camera, obscure light devices, yellow lenses, and dusty negatives that have been hidden in a corner of the house for many years. With this discovery, Elene gets the opportunity to reconstruct her father Soso and bond with him through his photography.Between the earth and the land of the dead, a darkroom becomes the only dimension where the paths of a father and a daughter can cross. Printing photos taken by Soso allows Elene to engage and work with her dead father for the first time.What do two people who have never met have to tell each other? How can this strange collaboration happen? Are Elene’s hopes quixotic? https://chaidocs.com/film/father-developed https://chaidocs.com/film/teaching-history-in-pankisi 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/teaching-history-in-pankisi.webp Teaching History in Pankisi Ethnographer Nazi Borchashvili teaches history to high school students - not an easy task in Jokolo, a remote village in the secluded Pankisi Valley in northeastern Georgia, which borders the Russian Federation’s Chechnya. The volatile valley has experienced challenges with violent extremism in recent years, as men as young as sixteen have traveled to Syria to fight in the so-called Islamic State’s (IS) ranks.In class, 53-year-old Borchashvili challenges her students by involving them in discussions about the current issues the village faces, particularly the influence of IS propaganda on the youth. But she goes beyond this - she is an active member of the women’s council, which was set up in the valley to advise the all-male Council of Elders on women’s rights and issues. https://chaidocs.com/film/teaching-history-in-pankisi https://chaidocs.com/film/the-hope 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/ROahBJpEJzI/maxresdefault.jpg The Hope After a escaping the war in Karabakh, along a long route in 1993, they passed through many places, and settled in Baku. Both IDPs met and married in Baku. He works as a hairdresser while she takes after their 4 children. The elder one, who could not speak until she was 8 years old, now sings mugham (folk musical composition), and her dream is to go to Turkey and take part in the Voice of Turkey TV show. She inherited her voice from her mother, who could not be realised as a khanande ( mugham singer), and now does everything for her daughter to reach her dreams. This film is about the hope, through the difficulties and the conditions they’ve surpassed, a hope to be happy and for dreams to come true. https://chaidocs.com/film/the-hope https://chaidocs.com/film/four-walls 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/four-walls.webp Four Walls At that moment when we left the house, built with my parents’ hands, I was 5 and my brother was 9 years old. Since then, our every day was accompanied by a dream. “ Let the affairs with the house be finished.” This dream was not only our parents,’ but also our desire as we left our childhood in that unbuilt house. We did not understand the full meaning, and we pray for 4 walls every day. We did not get the full meaning of it, but we were sure that those 4 walls would bring a smile to our faces. https://chaidocs.com/film/four-walls https://chaidocs.com/film/my-dear-deer 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/my-dear-deer.webp My Dear Deer In Azerbaijan, Arzu has the last IKARUS bus still running to Sumgayit from the remote region of Lenkoran. The IKARUS used to be considered the height of luxury, but after the collapse of the Soviet Union, passengers preferred new buses. So all the drivers have left their old friend and upgraded, but Arzu couldn’t – his father was and is still against his son getting a new bus. For him there’s none better than his old friend IKARUS. Nowadays, Arzu is struggling to survive, opening the doors of his exhausted, rusty IKARUS to everyone - and everything that new buses refuse to carry. But he still lives with the dream of getting a new bus one day! https://chaidocs.com/film/my-dear-deer https://chaidocs.com/film/deadlock 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/xMKpOxDcX4M/maxresdefault.jpg Deadlock Kocharli railway station, Terter, 249 km away from Baku, operating since 1983, is the last station before the deadlock of Nagorno Karabakh. The station caretaker Rafael Mammadov says that despite the current usage of the train, it is not as active as in Soviet times, but still some passengers use it daily. The nearest station to the frontline was damaged during the four day war in April, 2016. The station, which already needed renovation a long time ago, suffered from a shell that fell down there, and damaged the windows and the roof. https://chaidocs.com/film/deadlock https://chaidocs.com/film/a-spark 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/fh1O0qnTLiw/maxresdefault.jpg A Spark Marriages before the age of 16 are illegal in Georgia, and a court permission is required for marrying before 18, yet UNICEF estimates that 14% of girls wed before their 18th birthday. The practise can be found across all communities, including the Azerbaijani minority in south-eastern Georgia where Sama Hasanova lives. In villages like hers, Kvemo Sarali, custom has it that come teenage years, girls are considered ready to marry-- and to leave school. Sama, 15, is a student in the 10th grade and one of three girls in a class with eight boys. In the 12th grade there are no girls and even boys shun school - the class has only three pupils. Sama has a curious mind and dreams of a different future - she wants to finish her education. “I always ask questions, I want to be a journalist.” She is a spark of strength and hope. https://chaidocs.com/film/a-spark https://chaidocs.com/film/a-phantom-city 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/a-phantom-city.webp A Phantom City In her short poetic film, Abbasova explores Tbilisi’s human-built environment in an unusual way: using only sounds, lights and shadows, she carves out the shape of Tbilisi, creating a portrait of the city that captures its conflicting narratives of joy, sorrow and mystery. https://chaidocs.com/film/a-phantom-city https://chaidocs.com/film/albasha-alisa-berta-jessy-kazbek-and 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/albasha-alisa-berta-jessy-kazbek-and.webp Albasha, Alisa, Berta, Jessy, Kazbek and… Elkhan, an animal rights activist, found his friend Pirat almost at death's door together with other animal-lovers. After extensive surgery, Pirat’s life was saved, and Elkhan was able to find him a temporary shelter. Elkhan visits Pirat in Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku whenever he can, but he also has things to do back in his home village Guneshli in Lerik district. He has created a calm and peaceful way of life in a valley far away from civilization where he shares his home with many dogs, cats, and other animals. https://chaidocs.com/film/albasha-alisa-berta-jessy-kazbek-and https://chaidocs.com/film/a-return-to-lost-time 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/a-return-to-lost-time.webp A Return to Lost Time A year ago, Ramin made a drastic decision to stop using heroin. Even though he has been clean for several months, the label “addict” remains and he is stigmatized by his community. The stigma follows him everywhere: employers do not hire him; he cannot reunite with his family. “He will never stop using drugs” is a common refrain Ramin has heard people say many times about him. He feels stuck in between his past and present; his future remains uncertain in his isolated world. Ramin’s past has never passed and its shadow follows him in every step. Nevertheless, he tries; he wants to keep going on; restore everything he sacrificed. He has already re-gained some of his friends. https://chaidocs.com/film/a-return-to-lost-time https://chaidocs.com/film/a-letter-to-mother 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/a-letter-to-mother.webp A Letter to Mother This is a letter to my mother - the feelings that I could not tell her in person, a recognition of my weakness, the failed talks and ineffable things, the miscommunication between a mother and daughter who live different lives, but still seek to understand each other in the best possible way. https://chaidocs.com/film/a-letter-to-mother https://chaidocs.com/film/since-the-dust-settled 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/since-the-dust-settled.webp Since the Dust Settled This is the story of three women whose house in the center of Baku was demolished. Despite its echo in society, the fate of the people was forgotten later on. This film brings those forgotten people into the picture. https://chaidocs.com/film/since-the-dust-settled https://chaidocs.com/film/about-a-father 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/wbVUw_pCC9Y/maxresdefault.jpg About a Father A guitar player who earns his living performing at weddings in Baku suddenly became jobless due to restrictions put in place in Azerbaijan to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Due to his career and lifestyle, Mammad had been a largely absent parent for years. Now, forced to stay home due to the pandemic, he rediscovers his role as a father and starts to truly get to know his children. Awards: Best short docu award, Local short docu category, Baku Int' Short Film Festival, 2020.Jury Special Mention Award, local competition, Doku Baku IDFF, 2020. https://chaidocs.com/film/about-a-father https://chaidocs.com/film/moments-with-my-mother 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/moments-with-my-mother.webp Moments with My Mother Ruhangiz, 70, has been active her entire life, from the time she started working in her early 20s until 2014, when she learned she had breast cancer. The disease forced her to suddenly stop working and stay at home. When Azerbaijan announced a countrywide lockdown, Ruhangiz faced a new wave of loneliness. Her sudden isolation reminded her of the traumas she suffered earlier in her life. Despite this, Ruhangiz remains hopeful and never forgets to water her flowers.Awards: Jury Special Award in Baku International Short Film Festival's Local short documentary category, 2020.Best local short documentary award in Sevil International Women’s Documentary Film Festival, 2021. https://chaidocs.com/film/moments-with-my-mother https://chaidocs.com/film/eight-weeks-to-know-thyself 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/eight-weeks-to-know-thyself.webp Eight Weeks to Know Thyself “For me personally, it was such a relief, like I could take a breath for the first time in a very long time. I have time to be creative, that’s something that I didn’t have in this crazy period. I have allowed myself to start writing a script, something I haven’t done for years,” Leyli Gafarova, a filmmaker, says to explain her self-isolation experience in the Netherlands, where she was stuck during the coronavirus pandemic after Azerbaijan--her homeland--completely closed its borders. Like so many industries worldwide, videography and photography have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Authors whose area of work is visual storytelling look for ways to be creative during this challenging time: does isolation benefit or obstruct creativity? Filmmaker Tural Haji explores this theme in “Eight weeks to know thyself”, a documentary shot through online digital platforms. https://chaidocs.com/film/eight-weeks-to-know-thyself https://chaidocs.com/film/they-whisper-but-sometimes-scream 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/they-whisper-but-sometimes-scream.webp They Whisper but Sometimes Scream In the north of Azerbaijan, at a lakeside sanctuary: three trees are adorned with fabrics woven by the women residing in the neighbouring village, who would come to ward off their sorrows by making nature their ally. With poignant gentleness, Lala Aliyeva’s camera brings back to life this mirror-like place where women, in the past, were released, at least spiritually from their harsh condition. Festivals: Visions Du Reel, 2020 DokuBaku International Film Festival, Chai Khana’s FemDoc, Sheffield Doc/Fest, Ji-hlava Film Festival https://chaidocs.com/film/they-whisper-but-sometimes-scream https://chaidocs.com/film/wishes-for-goldfish-and-other-spices 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/wishes-for-goldfish-and-other-spices.webp Wishes for Goldfish and Other Spices In October, during the tense days of Nagorno Karabakh war, I took my camera and travelled to Ashagi Nuvedi village in Lankaran District, where I met people who continued their lives uninterrupted despite the difficult times, people who deal with daily worries and problems, and sometimes have a little fun to forget all their fatigue even during wars. Sakhavat Hasanov, who lives in Ashagi Nuvedi, has been fishing in the coastal areas of his village for about 30 years. Ramesh, Rza and Tehran have also been in this business for many years. When the war broke out, they watched the news from the front every day, were interested in their relatives and fellow villagers who fought, and sometimes they had no choice but to grieve over the bad news that was reported. Despite all this, their life goes on. Early every morning, they go fishing, wishing that their nets were never empty and that a miracle occurred--they catch a goldfish that would make all their dreams come true. https://chaidocs.com/film/wishes-for-goldfish-and-other-spices https://chaidocs.com/film/pink-city-ii 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/pink-city-ii.webp Pink City II Pink City II (as soft boys go deeper) is a journey through the artist’s inner self, an interpretation of the subconscious play of reality and imagery. Using deeply personal essays and poetic self-expression, the film explores life in the imaginary space that is designed to be shapeless, genderless, safe, healthy, and free in every way, to facilitate marginalized queer individuals, as well as people who need to escape a discriminative and violent reality. https://chaidocs.com/film/pink-city-ii https://chaidocs.com/film/a-butcher-s-daughter 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/a-butchers-daughter.webp A Butcher's Daughter Safarali was forced to leave his native village and move his family to the city when his teaching salary was not enough to meet their needs. While he has created a successful career as a butcher, his daughter struggles to make peace with the life he has created. The film is the story of Safarali, who is living a life that bridges contradictions—he is a teacher and a butcher, animal lover and destroyer. It is also the story of his daughter’s opposition to him, as well as her desire to know and understand her father and accept him. The film follows Safarali through a normal day and, through his conversations with his daughter, we learn about his life, his beliefs, and how he finds meaning and balance in a life that is far from the ideals he cherishes. Warning: The movie contains scenes of animal treatment that may offend some viewers. Festivals:Visions Du Reel 2021 | Film MarketDokuBaku IDFF 2021 | Local short docu competition | Jury Special Mention Award CineDoc-Tbilisi 2021 | Focus Caucasus Competition Institute for Caucasus Studies, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, seminar + Screening https://chaidocs.com/film/a-butcher-s-daughter https://chaidocs.com/film/grey-zone 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/grey-zone.webp Grey Zone With the start of the second Nagorno-Karabakh War, people in the country started to align into pro-war and anti-war camps. People who did not support the war were isolated and condemned by society. The film's director, Atanur Nabiyeva, faced a similar situation during the war and decided to document how the dynamic played out in her family. After some villages were bombed, relatives living on the frontline also temporarily settled in the Nabiyev family’s house. The author positioned herself as a neutral party to this war, and sought to explore bigger conflict-related questions such as "Who is right?", "Is it worth human death?", "Could there be another solution to the conflict?" Sometimes her journey to find answers caused arguments with her parents. Atanur refuses to accept her parents’ views unconditionally and her position has irritated them to the extent that she feels "alienated" in the family. https://chaidocs.com/film/grey-zone https://chaidocs.com/film/le-depart 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/le-depart.webp Le Depart One evening in front of a bar, Hunay bumps into an acquaintance, Benjamin. He recently visited her native country, Azerbaijan, which she had to flee in 2011 with her family for political reasons. A precipitous departure which has resulted in her feeling further and further removed from her hometown, family, and childhood memories every day. What happens when we can no longer return to our hometown, when our childhood memories are fading away? Can memories stay alive through someone else’s? Festivals: DokuBaku IDFF, Short local docu category, 2021. Le Shadok, Special screening in France, 2021. https://chaidocs.com/film/le-depart https://chaidocs.com/film/kirshan 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/kirshan.webp Kirshan Filmmaker Atanur Nabiyeva thinks makeup is a sign of vanity and does not like wearing it, even though most women in Azerbaijan prefer to put on makeup before leaving the house. There is only one woman in Atanur’s life, her Grandma Rana Nabiyeva, who has never worn makeup. Although Atanur knows why she doesn’t use makeup, she does not know why her grandmother doesn’t. She decides to journey from Baku to Gazakh, where her grandmother lives, to discover the reason. During her visit, her grandma talks about her youth and she tries on makeup for the first time https://chaidocs.com/film/kirshan https://chaidocs.com/film/with-a-dash-of-humor-and-numbing-grief 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/with-a-dash-of-humor-and-numbing-grief.webp With a Dash of Humor and Numbing Grief 2020 silenced the cacophony of daily life and, in the looming silence, we waited in anticipation for normalcy to return. Sitting at home, we were hungry for stories and our old routines. As it turns out, the year was full of stories that were also hungry--hungry to unfold and be told. At my house, four foxes enticed me toward the unknown. They will also guide you as you follow my journey, one that requires a dash of humor and numbing grief to understand the year we could have never imagined. Festivals:DokuBaku IDFF | Short local docu category | 2021Baku Int Short Film Festival | Short local docu category | 2021 https://chaidocs.com/film/with-a-dash-of-humor-and-numbing-grief https://chaidocs.com/film/in-the-corridor 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/in-the-corridor.webp In the Corridor Actor Rauf Shahsuvarov lives a double life: reality and the world he creates in his mind. The actor, who is currently away from the theater, works in construction to earn money even as he dreams of doing something great, like his grandfather, Nurmammad Shahsuvarov who was the Minister of Public Education and Religious Affairs in the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. Rauf’s dream is to return to the family’s native city of Lachin and build a theater there where he can perform. But so far, fate has other plans: last year Azerbaijan retook most of the territory it lost in the first Karabakh war, but Rauf’s city, Lachin, is still off limits. https://chaidocs.com/film/in-the-corridor https://chaidocs.com/film/notion-of-school 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/notion-of-school.webp Notion of School The Covid-19 virus, which spread to many countries around the world in early 2020, caused a pandemic that forced schools to close and education to move online. For countless children who should have entered first grade over the past year, traditional classroom learning is a foreign concept. Stuck at home, they imagine what school, and life, will be like when they can study with their classmates. https://chaidocs.com/film/notion-of-school https://chaidocs.com/film/building-12-35-a-symbol-of-sumgait-s-lost-generation 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/building-12-35-a-symbol-of-sumgaits-lost-generation.webp Building 12/35: A Symbol of Sumgait’s Lost Generation Building number 12/35 resembles other apartment blocks in Sumgait, Azerbaijan. Many of its residents, however, share a uniquely tragic fate: most of the men born in the building in the 1960s and 1970s died at an early age, many from drug and alcohol abuse. Their successive deaths cast a shadow on the building and the families living there. Once a close-knit community, many moved away over the past 20 years. Despite—or perhaps because of—their shared pain, the old neighbors often find themselves returning to the building to reminisce. This film explores the lives of those men and the memories of those left behind: the childhoods they shared and the choices they made. These men, now in their 60s, reflect on what has happened to their generation, why most of their friends and relatives died so young and how this particular apartment block captures the story of a whole generation. The voices and lives of the departed are included in clips from amateur videos from the 1990s. Set against the background of old friends’ attempt to understand their deaths, this film is about nostalgia and how memories kindle a special kind of love for home. https://chaidocs.com/film/building-12-35-a-symbol-of-sumgait-s-lost-generation https://chaidocs.com/film/one-more-story-for-our-grandchildren 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/one-more-story-for-our-grandchildren.webp One More Story for Our Grandchildren While on a road to their next destination in Europe, a young journalist Fatima Karimova reflects on the past years of life in exile together with her husband. Using a mobile phone, she documents the sometimes boring, sometimes challenging reality, full of hopes for a better life. For her, moving between three different countries was not a voluntary choice, but an obligation. “One more story for our grandchildren ” is how Fatima prefers to remember the hardships they conquer on their way to their new life. https://chaidocs.com/film/one-more-story-for-our-grandchildren https://chaidocs.com/film/humble-room-ado 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/humble-room-ado.webp Humble Room ADO An independent theatre ADO challenges Azerbaijani society’s traditional values and it brings on stage sensitive issues like sexuality, freedom and abuse of power, while constant financial problems have challenged its very existence. This film goes behind the scenes of a group of actors who break the rules by virtue of getting on a stage. https://chaidocs.com/film/humble-room-ado https://chaidocs.com/film/here-there-is-no-earth 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/here-there-is-no-earth.webp Here There Is No Earth An animal [livestock yet type unknown], strays beyond a closed border. A death between two kingdoms, neither of which is to blame. https://chaidocs.com/film/here-there-is-no-earth https://chaidocs.com/film/out-of-my-window 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/out-of-my-window.webp Out of My Window “Out of my window” explores urban chaos in a yard of Tbilisi from the 7th floor window of a Stalinist building. The chaos of this urban part of the city’s life flows in parallel with the current affairs of Georgia, emanating through different media channels, thus deteriorating in the seemingly calm atmosphere of a traditional urban setting. Throughout the year, the camera depicts the daily life and changing times of the city by peering through the windows of its inhabitants. https://chaidocs.com/film/out-of-my-window https://chaidocs.com/film/jahan-s-universe 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/jahans-universe.webp Jahan's Universe This intimate journey into the life of a 62-year-old ethnic Azerbaijani woman living in the village of Fakhralo (also called Fakhrali) in Georgia’s Kvemo Kartli region focuses on her daily routine. She is a wife, a mother, a farmer, a laborious worker, a friend, a caregiver. She is Jahan, which means “universe.” All that she dreams about is to complete her “life duties” and to rest. https://chaidocs.com/film/jahan-s-universe https://chaidocs.com/film/in-the-garden-of-moons 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/in-the-garden-of-moons.webp In the Garden of Moons When death that holds prestige enters their houses, the widows of fallen soldiers find different ways to (re)build their lives. To keep the memory of her late husband alive, Gulay has turned the bedroom into a museum. To search for her late husband, Aybeniz goes to the mountains. The wars and the bloody collapse of the Soviets forged a new concept, a martyr, which became the name for all fallen soldiers. In a society where having a martyr husband has been a symbol of national pride, another identity also emerged - the wife of a martyr. This film is about two women who lost their husbands in the two Nagorno Karabakh wars: one has been missing in battle for 30 years, and the other died during the 44-day war in 2020. The visual journey recounts the experience of a martyr's wife. Her status as a soldier’s widow commands respect in society and comes with specific unwritten rules. Through their conversations and the physical spaces they occupy, these women share their experiences about how they have coped with the loss of their husbands and what death brought into their lives apart from the grief. They discuss their memories, difficulties, and the changes in their lives. They also discuss how this loss led them to certain realizations about themselves. The film serves as a moving tribute to their resilience and the enduring power of love, even to defy tragedy. This film was prepared with support from the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) South Caucasus Regional Office. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of FES. https://chaidocs.com/film/in-the-garden-of-moons https://chaidocs.com/film/under-the-sky 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/under-the-sky.webp Under the Sky Breaking barriers and dispelling stereotypes about living with achondroplasia in Georgia.Despite her achondroplasia diagnosis, Ana Bersenadze, 27, is an active member of her community in Ozurgeti, Guria, and constantly challenges existing stereotypes in society. Independent, charismatic and full of energy, her pensioner father, Ani looks after their household and is engaged in organizing various events in her small city. Ana’s role model is her deceased mother, who refused to let the diagnosis define Ana’s life. She raised a daughter with a strong will, teaching her the importance of resilience and determination. https://chaidocs.com/film/under-the-sky https://chaidocs.com/film/who-is-left-from-the-old-ones 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/who-is-left-from-the-old-ones.webp Who is Left from the Old Ones? Eldar, 70, lives alone in his dilapidated house in a historic district of Tbilisi. His neighborhood has been partly demolished by a construction company and his neighbors' homes have been replaced by hotels. As we get to know Eldar better, we realize how deep his ties are with Tbilisi and how he relates current problems to the breakup of the Soviet Union. Through Eldar's story, we also discover how the ethnic composition of Tbilisi has changed and how, from his point of view, the symbols of ethnic Azerbaijani identity in Tbilisi have been affected.This film was prepared with support from the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) South Caucasus Regional Office. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of FES. https://chaidocs.com/film/who-is-left-from-the-old-ones https://chaidocs.com/film/behind-the-fences 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/behind-the-fences.webp Behind the Fences For nearly 20 years the residents of Azerbaijan’s Absheron peninsula have been robbed of their right to access the sea: the beaches their families enjoyed for generations have been cut off by illegally constructed fences and buildings, effectively barring the locals from using the sea shore. A rare victory has inspired one village to fight for its rights. Will others follow? https://chaidocs.com/film/behind-the-fences https://chaidocs.com/film/gveleshapi-the-water-dragon 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://img.youtube.com/vi/Y3kfmjd1qjU/maxresdefault.jpg Gveleshapi, the water dragon Bacho and Tsotne discover the heart of their village, Balda Canyon, now belongs to a private company. Development plans bring concrete constructions and tourist attractions and prevent villagers from accessing the water. What happens when the sacred is sold? Synopsis: There is a jewel in the heart of the village Balda: a beautiful canyon that has been sheltering villagers from the heat, hosting sacred rituals and providing a place for fun and relaxation. For Bacho, this is a place of power. But he discovers that the canyon that once hosted his and his brother Tsotne’s childhood games and fantasies has been leased to a private company for a development project. There's cement construction underway, and someone seems to be claiming ownership of the river that villagers believe belongs to everybody. The locals organize themselves to fight back against this enemy, which acts like the water dragon of fairy tales, cutting people off from the water. https://chaidocs.com/film/gveleshapi-the-water-dragon https://chaidocs.com/film/looking-for-home 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/looking-for-home.webp Looking for Home Natig, a cinematographer living in Baku, decided to move to Canada with his wife and two children. After the family was refused a visa twice, however, his wife Ulkar suggested buying an apartment with the money her mother had offered and a loan from the bank instead of spending more time and resources on a third visa application. But as they look for a home, they encounter several difficulties despite their middle-class income. The apartment prices in Baku are higher than they anticipated. It's hard even to imagine affording an apartment that is centrally located or recently remodeled. Even though both Natig and Ulkar work, the mortgage loans banks offer based on their salaries are insufficient. In fact, once they purchase an apartment their quality of life will decrease as most of their income will go toward the monthly mortgage payment. Ulkar only wants a comfortable life for herself and her two children–and owning a home is central to her mind. But Natig oscillates between conflicting thoughts about an apartment: buying one will make it more difficult for them to move to Canada as it will create more ties to the country–however, owning property in his name will make it easier to obtain a visa. As the film follows this young family's journey to buy an apartment, it reveals the challenges of becoming a homeowner in Baku. https://chaidocs.com/film/looking-for-home https://chaidocs.com/film/the-enigma-of-faina 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/the-enigma-of-faina.webp The Enigma of Faina Faina Kungurova was one of a handful of outspoken female activists who fought for freedom, justice and democracy in Azerbaijan. She was the first female political prisoner in the country, who lost her life during a hunger strike at 33 in jail under suspicious circumstances. The short ani-doc “The Enigma of Faina,” an excerpt of a feature-length project by Durna Safarova, is a brief glimpse at the life of Faina. After its world premiere at the 60th edition of the renowned Annecy Festival, the film was screened in more than 20 festivals in 18 countries. https://chaidocs.com/film/the-enigma-of-faina https://chaidocs.com/film/hope-of-the-village 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/hope-of-the-village.webp Hope of the Village In the film, teacher Etibar Shahuseynov drives one hour to a village school every day to teach a single pupil, overcoming every challenge that threatens the education of this child. Through Etibar, who was displaced during the First Karabakh War, and his student, we experience life in a remote Azerbaijani village, including the implications of the country’s education, economic and political policies. https://chaidocs.com/film/hope-of-the-village https://chaidocs.com/film/pathway-to-peace 2026-09-24 weekly 0.8 https://chaidocs.com/Pictures/films/pathway-to-peace.webp Pathway to Peace Nargiz, a young Azerbaijani filmmaker caught between the traditions of her upbringing and the rapidly changing world, begins to unpack her complicated relationship with her parents as she seeks peace and self-acceptance in her own life. Nargiz tries to find a common understanding with her parents through conversations about their feelings and Soviet-influenced past. https://chaidocs.com/film/pathway-to-peace