Last Updated on April 1, 2022 by themigrationnews
More than 2500 years ago, an ancient Greek tragedian Euripides wrote in his masterpiece “Medea”: “What greater grief than the loss of one’s native land?”. Nowadays, every migrant, regardless of the reasons for their departure, hopes for a better life in a new place. Nevertheless, what happens to migrants after so many years of living abroad? Such question is being raised in “Roots,” a Soviet Georgian drama film. It was directed in the Georgian language by Guguli Mgeladze and written by Suliko Djgenti in 1987. This film can rightly be considered the first artwork about the life of a Georgian migrant in the Diaspora, based on a true-life story. The filming took place in France, Soviet Georgia, and Russia.
The center of the film is a Georgian migrant George Zakareishvili (David Abashidze). As a 19-year-old, he leaves his small village to work in Europe. With the outbreak of the First World War, he settles down in France and marries a French woman. However, George does not lose hope of returning to Georgia and is very nostalgic about his homeland. When the opportunity to repatriate appeared, George was already old and could not move. To make things right, George tries to teach his little grandson George Jr. (Levan Abashidze) the Georgian language and traditions. In the end, his grandson fulfills his grandfather’s will and takes his ashes to Georgia.
A few words must be said about the image of a Georgian migrant created by the director of the film, GuguliMgeladze. He portrays George Zakareishvili in an interesting way. In one scene, a wealthy European rudely asks him for a ride on his back and offers money for it. In response, George says: “Sir, you are mistaken; I am not a binman.” The filmmakers precisely show how foreign migrants sometimes are treated in the host countries. In addition, it should be noted that “Roots” is a Soviet film. Therefore, we also see social stratification through a dichotomy: a rich resident (bourgeois) and a poor migrant (worker), where their interests collide. Also, we must understand the political context. The film was directed in the last years of the Soviet Union. In 1978, the Soviet leadership planned to deprive the Georgian language of the official status in Georgia and replace it with Russian. Accordingly, the film “Roots” also became a part of the manifesto in defense of the Georgian language. The director’s feelings are very much expressed in Alexander Rakviashvili’s music, which blends so perfectly with the film. Moreover, it is not overloaded with special effects, and it is filmed quite simply.
It is also worth mentioning the cleverly crafted symbolism depicted in the association of the origin of George’s name with that of Georgia, the country’s exonym as of the period. In the film, we find out that his real name is Giorgi, the Georgian form of the Greek name George. Giorgi takes the name George in France because the latter is easier to pronounce. In addition, George the Victorious is the patron saint of Georgia, and the name Giorgi is the most common Georgian name.
The turning point of the film is George’s acquaintance with the violinist Samson Jandieri. To avoid losing touch with his homeland and somehow maintain his diasporic identity, Samson carries a handful of Georgian soil in his boot. “Although I am in a foreign land, I am standing on Georgian soil!” he says. For Samson, returning to Georgia means a lot. He wants to feel as if he has already returned and is standing on Georgian soil.
Throughout the film, George notices how he starts forgetting the Georgian language. The preservation of the native language is an issue raised in the film. Obviously, for migrants, language is the most important indicator of ethnic identity. In the middle of the film, a curious scene occurs when George accidentally meets Samson Jandieri again. Samson tells him that they lost their roots and asks George rhetorically: “Do your children speak Georgian?”. This question made George realize that his children no longer speak Georgian and barely associate themselves with Georgia.
The film “Roots” serves as a quintessential viewing experience for migration and diaspora enthusiasts that raises several ideas for discussion in diaspora and migration studies. The main one is the myth of return, described in classical diaspora literature. The return may happen after many generations or not happen at all. The myth is an integral part of migrants’ diasporic identity. George Zakareishvili had to stay in France against his will. He has a nostalgic feeling about his homeland, elderly parents, and people from his village. As part of the Georgian Diaspora, he is seized by homesickness and longing for his past life. Moving to another country often becomes a challenge. If we look at George, throughout the film, he is detached from the world around him, lost in his thoughts, and remains unemotional.
In the end, George tells his grandson: “Remember, the height of a tree is not measured from the ground, but from the roots. Your roots are there, in Georgia”. It is a breathtaking moment when he asks his grandson to take his ashes to Georgia. Before his death, George forgets French and speaks only Georgian. This moment is not a figment of the imagination of the director or screenwriter. For example, something similar happened to the 80-year-old Mamluk Ibrahim Beg Shinjikashvili, who, according to legend, completely forgot Turkish and Arabic and spoke only Georgian in the last years of his life.
The film ends with the journey of the grandson from France to Georgia. George Jr. brings the ashes of his grandfather. The film’s end becomes more dramatic when George Jr. thinks his grandfather will no longer be remembered but sees the whole village gather in the rain to meet him. This scene demonstrates one of the ethnic traits of Georgians and their commitment to their families, especially in villages, where neighborhood ties are also of great importance.
A few words must be said about the actors in the film. David Abashidze, who played George Zakareishvili, was a famous actor in Soviet Georgia and the winner of many cinematographic awards. In 1985, he practically stopped acting in films due to health problems, and “Roots” was the last film he acted in. As for Levan Abashidze, who played George’s grandson George Jr., he is remembered for another important thing. Although he did not appear in many films, he died as a defender of Georgia’s territorial integrity in the war 1992-1993, which claimed the lives of more than 10 thousand people.
GuguliMgeladze created an authentic film about the nostalgia for the homeland persistent in the migrants. Georgians do not have a long history of life as a diaspora, unlike Jews and Armenians. However, they possess their own unique history of life in exile. Being outside the historical homeland is always hard. It is also a matter of ethnic survival for Georgians, which the film depicts excellently.
Lolita Gogokhia is currently pursuing MA in Eurasian and Caucasian Studies at Tbilisi State University (Georgia). She is from a family of forced refugees and is an active member of the Georgian Diaspora in Russia. Her areas of interest include Diaspora and Transnationalism, Memory Studies, Postcolonialism, Conflict research. She can be reached on Twitter: @LolitaGogokhia