Samizdat x Belmont: And Then We Danced / და ჩვენ ვიცეკვეთ

And Then We Danced (or და ჩვენ ვიცეკვეთ) is screening at the Aberdeen Art Gallery on Saturday 7 November, in the Seminar Room. It's a 2019 film by Swedish-Georgian director Levan Akin, who came to wider attention more recently with his 2024 drama Crossing. The screening is curated by Hattie Idle, who provides a pre-recorded introduction to set the scene before the film starts.

The story follows Mehrab, a young dancer in contemporary Tbilisi who joins a cut-throat traditional Georgian dance ensemble. It's a stunning exploration of queer identity in modern-day Georgia, playing out the tension between upholding tradition and the desire for freedom of expression. The lead is played by Levan Gelbakhiani, a real-life Georgian dancer making his first acting role, so the dancing is as authentic as it gets. The film is shown in Georgian, with English and descriptive subtitles, and carries a 15 rating.

It's part of the Samizdat x Belmont programme, and the whole thing is wheelchair accessible. The screening runs from 6:25pm to 8:35pm on Saturday 7 November, in the Seminar Room at the Aberdeen Art Gallery, Schoolhill, AB10 1FQ. Tickets are available through Humanitix.