Austria, Georgia, Serbia / 2020. / 82’ / Documentary

Directed by: Tatia Skhirtladze

Co-directed by: Anna Khadzaradze

Written by: Inna Ivanceanu & Tatia Skhirtladze

Produced by: Karin Berghammer, Alexander Dumreicher-Ivanceanu & Bady Minck, Nino Chichua, Anna Khazaradze & Linda Jensen, Sarita Matijević

Production company: berg hammer film, Amour Fou, 1991 Productions, Playground produkcija

The film explores an unusual biographical mix of connections between the world’s best chess players from the Cold War era. Four Georgian grandmasters: Maja Chiburdanidze, Nana Alexandria, Nona Gaprindashvili and Nana Joseliani, became icons of women’s emancipation in the Soviet Union and made revolutionary changes in the world of women’s chess. The fifth heroine, the famous Serbian chess player and journalist Milunka Lazarević gives the global perspective. She follows the heroine’s development path from the very beginning, as a close friend in private life and a fierce rival at the chessboard. It is a film about victories and defeats in chess and life, but above all, about a revolt against a powerful, predominantly male system.

 

Tatia Skhirtladze

Born in 1976 in Tbilisi, Georgia, lives in Vienna, Austria. Graduated in Art Education and Fine Arts and obtained her master’s degree in Fine Arts in the Netherlands. Works in various art fields, as well as various art projects. Currently teaches video art at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. One of the founders of SuK bureau for cultural implication.