Part of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s mission is to foster greater understanding through world cinema. This year 72 Foreign Language films were submitted for Golden Globes consideration. Here is an overview of one of them.

Georgian director Levan Tutberidze's Moira is the story of a poverty-stricken family living in a post-Soviet seaside city in Georgia struggling with temptations to engage in crime to make a living.

After his release from prison, Mamuka (Paata Inauri) is determined not to fall back into a life of crime. He takes a loan and buys a small fishing boat. He and his unemployed younger brother name the boat after Moira, the goddess of fate.

Their mother is working abroad, their father is wheelchair bound. And the brothers find that fate can be very cruel.

Director Tutberidze began his career in film in 1989 as an actor. He directed twelve pictures, including documentaries, TV films and features that include I'll Die Without You (2010) and The Village (2005); he also participated in 2013-anthology film Tbilisi, I Love You.

As his artistic influences, Tutberidze cites Italian neo-realism, especially films by Roberto Rossellini.

“Brick by brick, Georgian film is getting back to its original prestige” says Tutberidze, implying world famous Georgian films of the 60s and 70s. To support this view one has to remember that just last year the Estonian film Tangerines about Estonians caught in civil war in Georgia was written and directed by Georgian director Zaza Urushadze and was nominated for Golden Globe and Oscar as best Foreign Language film. One of the most famous Georgian directors of Soviet times, Otar Iosseliani (Once Upon a Time There Was a Singing Blackbird, 1972) made a brilliant career in France and still is active in his 80s.

As if to confirm Tutberidze’s words about resurgence of the Georgian cinema, Moira, which was shot on a budget just over $500,000 in 24 days, ten of them spent on stormy seas in a rusty fishing boat, just was named Best Picture at the first annual Asian World Film Festival in Los Angeles.

Serge Rakhlin