Trailers
Description
Gia is a carefree young percussionist who works at a theater in Tbilisi, capital of Georgia. He lives in a small apartment with his mother. Gia spends his days flitting from friend to friend, lover to lover, avoiding any responsibility, and never staying still for five minutes. However, he always manages to arrive at the theater just in time to play the drums at the end of the ballet.
Starring
Key opinion
Otar Iosseliani's 'Once Upon a Time There Lived a Singing Blackbird' is widely regarded as a masterful, philosophical meditation on the transience of life and the existential weight of everyday busyness. Through the life of a perpetually rushing, seemingly aimless musician, the film invites viewers to reflect on their own pursuit of purpose, connection, and the inevitability of time.
| Score | The film masterfully employs a rich, integral sound palette where music acts as both a character and a symbol of existential rhythm. | |
| Cinematography | Observational cinematography utilizing wide angles and long, flowing takes creates a deeply immersive, realistic visual language. | |
| Theme | The protagonist is viewed by some as an inspiring, selfless figure who enriches the lives of others, while others dismiss him as a symbol of hollow, purposeless activity. | |
| Pacing | The chaotic, frantic pacing effectively mirrors the protagonist's hurried life, though it polarizes viewers between appreciating the film's philosophical momentum and feeling exhausted by the lack of traditional resolution. |