MY WORKS

"Giuli - It Was A Dream" is a musical short film about the Georgian jazz legend Giuli Chokheli, created as my final project during film directing studies. The film has since won over forty international awards. Early in my studies, I began considering ideas for my final project when I came across a documentary about Chokheli. Her life and personality captivated me, and socially critical footage I found further fueled my inspiration. To my surprise, Chokheli expressed interest in acting in the film herself. Given the film’s focus on Georgian culture, it was clear to me that it had to be shot in Georgia. Organizing everything remotely from Germany was challenging, especially without industry connections. Additionally, financial constraints forced us to reduce the shooting schedule from five days to three, which placed additional strain on Chokheli, who was 87 at the time. Despite these obstacles, my assistant director, Francesca Neef, and I arrived in Georgia three weeks before filming to finalize preparations. Managing a 50-person crew presented its own challenges, but I made it a priority to foster a positive and collaborative environment for the entire team. I'm immensely proud of the final result. Despite significant challenges, I successfully brought the project to life and received overwhelmingly positive feedback. The experience taught me invaluable lessons and allowed for much personal growth.