The protest action has come to an end outside the Amirani Cinema film viewers have left the building without trouble. The traffic flow has also returned to normal.
As Levan Vasasze, one of the organizers of the protest rally maintains, protests will not end; on the contrary, they will become permanent.
The demonstration started at around 17:00 today, with the protesters first having gathered in Vera Park and moved outside the Amirani Cinema afterwards. They attempted to enter the building; however, the police prevented them from doing so. The film premiere was not attended by the film crew. Around 15 protesters were detained during protests.
"And then We Danced" feature film presents a love story of Merabi and Irakli, two leading male dancers of the Georgian National Ballet and is directed by Swiss director of Georgian origin Levan Akini.
On 26 October, the film was debuted in New York's LGBT Film Festival, with the premiere being followed by a long dialogue between film director Levan Akini and the audience. The film director elaborated on the current situation in Georgia and said that Georgians refused to support the film. Mr. Akini also pointed out that he would prove unable to attend the film premiere in Georgia due to its premiere in LA, which he planned to attend instead. Levan Akini did not specify whether this decision was related to his safety issue.
Georgian Patriarchate is against debuting the film, with its representatives asserting that the film aims to promote and legalize the sin. The Patriarchate is condemning homosexuality and deems screening of similar films totally unacceptable.
As for representatives of public, businessman Levan Vasadze threatens that he will not allow them to hold premiere of the film, in his video address.
"No shepherd’s staff or clubs; we'll do this with our bare hands; we will enter the cinema and won't let them debut the film ," Vasadze says.
Similar statement on the premiere of the film have been released by the far-right Georgian March leader and member of the Orthodox Parents' Union Guram Palavandishvili.
The public premiere of the first Georgian gay romance film is planned to be held at Tbilisi and Batumi cinemas on Nov 8-10. So far, sneak previews have been held only.
The high-profile film was included among 25 films by the Director’s Fortnight; its premiere was held on May 16 at The 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival.
"And Then We Danced," which has won a number of international awards, will be presented on behalf of Sweden at the 92nd Academy Awards Ceremony.
Tamta Kapanadze
News Author