Brighton 4th

Burdened by heavy gambling debts, Khakchi's son Soso lives in a neglected hostel in the capital of the American Dream together with fellow destitute immigrants from Georgia, Russia and Uzbekistan. Soso had actually wanted to study medicine. Khakchi, a man of action, played impressively by former wrestling gold medallist Levan Tediashvili, refuses to take the desperate, aimless existence of his son lying down: In an attempt to rid his son of his debts he challenges the mafia godfather to a head-to-head fight, a duel that could be the last for this ageing, battle-hardened yet life-scarred individual. Captured in visually impressive manner by Oscar-nominated cameraman Phedon Papamichael, the film speaks of the need to respectfully engage with and stand up for one another: in a series of stirring ensemble scenes, Levan Koguashvili portrays the deeply-rooted cultural identity of his compatriots, a culture able to overcome time and space. Melancholy-infused clarinet choruses weave through the rooms, coated in the cigarette smoke of those who have fallen. A film akin to an ode to a bygone era.