Georgia

Since regaining its independence in the early 1990s, Georgia has become the regional champion in terms of reforms, economic development and progress regarding democratic institutions. Country has one of the most business supportive governments and is open for international visitors and investors.

Georgia has a wealth of local production service companies to choose from to make your production run smoothly. 

Recently, Georgian filmmaker Giorgi Ovashvili's Moon is my father was among the projects selected for Eurimages' international co-production. Moon is my father is a joint production of Georgia, Germany, Luxembourg, Bulgaria and Czech Republic.

In 2023, Yellowstone executive producer Bob Yari and his WonderHills Studios' partner Marvin Peart have launched the joint venture WonderSilk Studios, a film production and financing company with the help of the Georgian government and Silk Road Group, the Eastern European and Central Asian investment firm. 

The public and private partnerships aim to help Hollywood and indie producers tap into Georgia's locations, tax credits, studios, local crew and talent. 

Georgian film has recently come into the spotlight for its critically acclaimed 2023 film Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry, directed by Elene Naveriani and co-written by Nikoloz Mdivani and Tamta Melashvili, based on a novel by Naveriani. 

The film follows Etero, a 48-year-old woman living in a small village in Georgia, never wanted a husband. She cherishes her freedom as much as her cakes. But her choice to live alone is the cause of much gossip among her fellow villagers. 

Unexpectedly, she finds herself passionately falling for a man, and is suddenly faced with the decision to pursue a relationship or continue a life of independence. Etero must grapple with her feelings and decide how to find her own path to happiness.

International productions having filmed in Georgia recently include Fast 9, which shot the capital of Tbilisi, Georgia. Indian action film Beast filmed 30% of its production days in Georgia's capital. 

Other international shoots include British drama The Lady of Heaven, Cannes Directors’ Fortnight title And Then We Danced and Sharan Sharma’s Bollywood biopic Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, about India’s first female air force pilot.

GFS Studio in Tbilisi has three soundstages (two are 2,363 square feet with 24-foot ceilings and one is 3,300 square feet with a 26-foot ceiling).

Georgia is known for its beautiful mountains, Black Sea coastal region and orthodox churches. Key locations of interest include the Caucasus Mountains, where you’ll find mountaintop churches, picturesque villages and ski resorts.

There are also national parks such as Borjami-Kharagauli, Lagodekhi, Vashlovani and Tusheti. Capital Tbilisi has interesting locations including the Old Quarter, Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Sioni Cathedral and Narikala Fortress. Legacies of the Soviet era are formidable-looking apartment blocks and the unusual Bank of Georgia HQ.

The best months to film are May, June and September because they offer long shooting days without the heat and humidity of July and August. The country has good roads though travelling in the mountains can be slow.

Georgia is 69,700 square kilometres (26,911 square miles) and features the perfect fusion of medieval and modern architecture combining Asian, European and Soviet styles – flamboyant glass-and-steel structures, stand next to the 13th century cliff-top church, ancient fortress and “komunalki” built during Stalin era.

Because of its long cinematic tradition, Georgia has decent English-speaking crews though some specialist talent will need to be flown in. The country also has all the standard camera, grip and lighting equipment that a production is likely to need.

If specialised gear needs to be brought in from abroad, it’s fairly easy to get through customs compared to neighbouring countries. The industry is, however, quite small – so if you are aware that big productions have already gone into Georgia before you it might limit what is available.

For onscreen talent, Georgia can offer a large pool of caucasian and Middle Eastern-looking extras.