On Monday Nights We Danced in the Park by Nikki Dolson

Irakli has a tall, muscular frame and turns out to be a more seasoned dancer than Merab. It soon becomes clear that he has eyes only for Irakli, a handsome young man played by Bachi Valishvili, who has recently joined their dance troupe.

But although Merab and Mary have been dance partners for years and are nominally a couple, Merab shows little romantic interest in her. The movie will soon undermine that sentiment. After all, the instructor reminds them, there is no sex in Georgian dance. Also, apparently, the dancer's eyes are much too playful they should be gazing at the floor, so as to convey a kind of virginal innocence. UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: (As character, non-English language spoken).ĬHANG: But their instructor stops them and sternly criticizes Merab, saying his body is too soft when it should be as hard as a nail. (SOUNDBITE OF FILM, 'AND THEN WE DANCED') In the very first scene, Merab, a lean young man with a broad elfin grin, rehearses with his partner, Mary, and the camera follows their bodies as they move with impressive athleticism through a tightly choreographed routine. Set in the present day in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, the movie stars a terrific first time actor named Levan Gelbakhiani as Merab, a 20-something junior member of the country's national dance ensemble. JUSTIN CHANG, BYLINE: If you're like me and know nothing about the art of traditional Georgian folk dance, 'And Then We Danced' will provide an absorbing introduction. Film critic Justin Chang has this review. It was submitted by Sweden for consideration for an Oscar for best international feature. The movie was directed by a 40-year-old Swedish filmmaker whose roots are in Georgia. Its opening last year was met with violent protests from the right and an outcry from conservative politicians and the Orthodox Church. The movie 'And Then We Danced' is set in the country of Georgia and sparked controversy there because of its depiction of a gay love story.

On Monday Nights We Danced in the Park by Nikki Dolson