AllMovie

This documentary, which is more of a travelogue than anything else, explores the sights and sounds of what was, when it was filmed, Soviet Georgia. Among other things, the film explores the extraordinary art of the famous 19th-century Georgian painter Pirosmani, about whom several film biographies have been made. In addition to that, the movie takes the viewer to several villages which were said to have been isolated from the outside world for hundreds of years before 1937. In addition to taking in the breathtaking scenery of the country, the documentary goes on a hunt for icons, paintings with a distinct style, designed to aid the faithful in their religious devotions. Whatever its merits, and the film does cover most of the topography of the country, this tour completely bypasses Tblisi, the capital.