
March 12th marks the 94th Jubilee of the greatest Georgian Cameraman, Levan Paatashvili !
The Georgian Film Academy congratulates Mr. Levan on his birthday, we wish him health and longevity!
Levan Paatashvili, who has undoubtedly created an amazing, poetic world of cinema full of light and humanity, is recognized as the most important representative of the world’s greatest cameraman.
“A lot of people can film well, but there are only few cameraman … I would compare the profession of cameraman to the symbiosis of poet and conductor, and that’s what Mr. Levan has, and that sets him apart from all the cameramen in the world. He had to live in such a country and era where he did not have much of a “promotion”. “He is no less than Storaro. ”
Says Mr. Levan’s student – Davit Gujabidze.
Levan Paatashvili received his education at the Moscow State Institute of Cinematography in B. Volchek’s workshop. Tengiz Abuladze’s “Skhvisi Shvilebi” (1958) was his film debut, where we clearly see the original attempts to frame the shot, the light-shadow, the perspective, the action-oriented display in the shot and the feeling of the in-depth perspective.
Later, working with him was of great interest not only to Georgian directors – “Dge Pirveli, Dge Ukanaskneli” (1959), “Erti Tsis Kvesh” (1961), “Tojinebi Itsinian” (1963), “Tsisqvili Qalaqis Gareubanshi” (1981); ” Tsisferi Mtebi anu Daujerebeli Ambavi ” (1983); “Akhalgazrda Kompozitoris Mogzauroba (1984); “Neilonis Nadzvis Khe” (1986), and “Rbola” (1970, directed by Al. Alov and V. Naumov), “Romansi Shekvarebulebze” (1974 by A. Mikhalkov-Konchalovsky ) “Sibiriada” (1978, directed by A. Mikhalkov-Konchalovsky) and others.
Levan Paatashvili created a unique work “Half a Century on Leonardo’s Wall”, from the experience of his profession ”(Moscow, 2006). He is a State Prize Laureate (1985).