Main Cast: Rezo Esadze, Cecilia Takaishvili, Ramaz Chkhikvadze
Release Year: 1978
Country: SU/GE
Run Time: 90 minutes
Plot
Best known for his 1982 film, The Swimmer, Irakly Kvirikadze's earlier award-winning comedy Gorodok Anara tells how the inhabitants of a Georgian village struggle with the tradition of awarding high status and a (huge) ceremonial glass to the person with the greatest capacity for drinking wine. For decades, the title has remained in the house of an older man, who is often called upon to officiate at local gatherings. When he dies in a very peculiar fashion, killed by a basketful of feathers, the wine-drinking title remains in the family until someone can come along and successfully drink from the award-cup, which holds several liters of wine. The old man's son is a small, happy man who prefers to play the clown. He is not interested in the title. Nonetheless, his family hosts the challengers as they come, each of them wreaking havoc in his own way. While he is enduring the trials at home, the villagers are deep in debate about this custom and the dissension it brings to the town. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
