American Cinematographer - February 2012 - 74

Top: ASC member Hiro Narita (red shirt and scarf) enjoys the awards ceremony with his tablemates, who include camera operator Jonathan Abrams (directly behind Narita); Levan Katsadze (black jacket and white shirt), project manager of the festival’s sponsor, the International Foundation for Innovative Technologies; and cinematographer Phil Parmet (far right, at edge of frame). Bottom: A Sony representative from Russia gives a hands-on demo of the company’s new FS100 camera.

age. The rapid growth of such new technologies is making filmmaking more and more accessible to more and more regions of the world. There were all kinds of camerapeople, too. I met a medical cameraman from Belarus, a specialist in shooting surgeries and other medical procedures. He was attending the seminars to search for an appropriate HD camera to replace his current equipment. Further, he and his associates from Belarus were looking into advanced devices that would allow instant HD networking with other doctors and hospitals so that both media and medical
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care could be more broadly shared. Improvement in their telecommunication system, especially at the private institutional level, was at the top of their list. Naturally, in a place as famous for its hospitality as Georgia, it wasn’t all screenings and seminars. One evening we were taken to a charming restaurant for traditional food, drink, dance and song — things all Georgians seem to love. When we arrived, we were immediately handed aprons and floured by the cooks standing by, then drafted into making Khachapuri (cheese bread). Instead of rolling cameras, we were put to work rolling pastry pins.
American Cinematographer

Many of us joined in, and soon the delicious smell of baking bread wafted from the courtyard’s large stone oven. As for drink, there was a small grape-vodka still at hand. From the end of a narrow tube dripped clear, potent liquid for anyone brave enough to consume it. And consume it we did. But the highlight of the evening was the traditional Georgian dances and songs, which were performed by youth groups while we dined. Actually, we all stopped eating because the dance was captivating, the energy and elegance of the dancers absolutely hypnotic, and the tones of the choir transcendent. On the fourth day of the festival, I and two other Americans, cinematographer Phil Parmet and camera operator Jonathan Abrams, were invited to the Apollo Theatre, where other camerapeople joined us for a Q&A. Most of the questions reflected a keen interest in Hollywood. Of course, they also asked if we were familiar with Georgian films. After a bit of stumbling on correct pronunciation, I managed to mention Iosseliani and Parajanov, whose films were so inspiring to me in the 1960s and ’70s. Great Georgian directors still inspire many film students today. Nana Dzhordzhadze’s Chef in Love , a delightful comedy co-produced with France, was nominated for an Academy Award in 1996. At the festival’s awards ceremony, Golden Eye statues were presented for The Most Original Shot, The Best Sketch, The Best Topic, The Best Risk Shot, The Best Student Work, The Best TV Cameraman’s Work, The Best Movie Cameraman’s Work, and for several other technical achievements. The Georgian Public Broadcasters Special Award was given to my colleague Jonathan Abrams. Finally, the grand prize was awarded to Matteo Cocco of Germany for his work on the black-and-white feature Zima (2011). The evening included one somber moment: the entire assembly rose to offer a minute of silence in honor of the many camerapeople who have lost their lives while covering current events. As Golden Eye co-founder Giorgi Jajanidze noted, “Although cameramen stay behind the scenes, we see the world through their eyes.” ●

American Cinematographer - February 2012

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