‘Little Man, Time and the Troubadour’
The newest film by Ineke Smits has been selected for the International Film Festival Rotterdam 2020. ‘Little Man, Time and the Troubadour’ will be screened in different theaters on Friday 24 January, Monday 29 January and Saturday 1 February. Visit the film page to watch the trailer and find out the exact screening times and locations.
The troubadour in the title is artist Sipa Labakhua, who travels the land of his birth, Abkhazia, with his puppet theatre. The autobiographical, at times almost surrealist play he performs is based on the fate of his father, his hero. He was an idealistic politician who was forced by the war with Georgia to flee with his family to Moscow, where he couldn’t find his niche. Now, his son has returned home. He shares his concerns with his audiences and meets local inhabitants. Driven by the questions “What makes a country? What is home?”, he collects memories and reflections of a colourful community that includes nationalist Abkhazians, immigrants and artists.
Labakhua developed the libretto for his play with director Ineke Smits, who has previously shown her love for this region. The play is the starting point for a poetic road movie with song and imagination, nostalgia and wonder. “Look, we’re talking. Things are improving”, someone says after seeing the puppet play.
Part of RTM, the Rotterdam selection
Original title: De kleine man, tijd en de troubadour
Filmmaker: Ineke Smits
Year of production: 2019
Medium/Format: DCP
Length: 104’
Language: English, Russian, Arabic, Abkhazian, Georgian
Producer: Ineke Kanters, Jan van der Zanden
Production company: The Film Kitchen
Sales: Deckert Distribution
Scenario: Ineke Smits
Camera: Piotr Rosolowski
Editor: Katarina Türler
Sound Design: Senjan Jansen
Music: Walter Hus