Principal photography has ended on Georgian writer-director Ana Urushadze’s second film, “Supporting Role.” The first images have been released.
It follows on from the success of Urushadze’s 2017 debut “Scary Mother,” which premiered and won best first feature at Locarno Film Festival before going on to pick up the top prize in Sarajevo. It was nominated for the European Film Academy’s Discovery Award and was Georgia’s entry for the 90th Academy Awards.
The story of “Supporting Role” follows a once-famous star of Georgian cinema, who – triggered by a casting session with a young female director – embarks on a bizarre and fatalistic odyssey of self-transformation. Accustomed to playing charming heroic protagonists, he is insulted by the offer of a supporting role. But gradually, without realizing it himself, he starts getting into character and seemingly unconsciously accepts the role he has been offered to play.
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The film stars Dato Bakhtadze, alongside Nata Murvanidze, who led “Scary Mother,” winning best performance at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.
The film is produced by Davit Tsintsadze of Georgia’s Zazafilms, Ivo Felt of Allfilm in Estonia, Zeynep Atakan of Zeyno Film in Turkey, Andrey Epifanov of Cinetrain in Switzerland, Eleonora Granata Jenkinson of Melograno Films in U.S., and Sophio Bedenashvili and Bacho Meburishvili of Enkeny Films and Dato Bakhtadze in Georgia.
The film was shot on location in Georgia by Estonian cinematographer Rein Kotov. Funding came from the Georgian National Film Center, Estonian Film Institute, Estonian Cultural Endowment, MEDIA Programme of Creative Europe, Eurimages and Cinetrain.
Post-production will take place between Estonia and Turkey, with a view to releasing the film in 2025.