www.der.org/films/table-songs-...
by Hugo Zemp and Nona Lomidze
color, 80 min with 4 min of extras, 2016
in Georgian with English subtitles
At the foot of the Caucasus, the Kakheti province of eastern Georgia is famous for its wine and its polyphonic songs. Banquets with their alternation of ritualized toasts and collective singing are considered by Georgians as a major component of national identity. Verbal art and musical art are bound together in a unique way.
Georgian banquets conventionally are the prerogative of men. Master folk singer Andro Simashvili, known as Andro Papa, leads his friends at a classical men’s banquet. On the other hand, renowned female singer Leila Legashvili is the toastmaster at a women’s banquet, where Andro Simashvili is an honored guest. Long songs and elaborate toasts are shown in their integrality, revealing important insights into Georgian cultural values.