The Men's Land
| The Men's Land | |
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Promotional poster | |
| Georgian | კაცების მიწა |
| Literally | Land of men |
| Directed by | Mariam Khatchvani |
| Written by | Mariam Khatchvani |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | Anna Ushkhvani |
| Cinematography |
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| Edited by | Elene Asatiani |
Production companies |
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Release dates |
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Running time | 15 minutes |
| Countries |
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The Men's Land (Georgian: კაცების მიწა, romanized: k'atsebis mits'a) is a 2025 short documentary film written and directed by Mariam Khatchvani. The film starring Anna Ushkhvani, documents the story of twenty-two-years old Ana, who is on the verge of fulfilling her dream: leaving the remote village of Ushguli for the big city, where she hopes to study singing.[1]
The film had its world premiere in International Medium Length & Short Film Competition at the Visions du Réel on 9 April 2025,[2] and its regional premiere at the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival on 20 August 2025, in the Competition programme - Documentary Film, where it won Heart of Sarajevo for Best Short Documentary Film award.[3]
Synopsis
In the remote mountain village of Ushguli located at the head of the Enguri gorge in Svaneti, Georgia, old traditions say that if a family has no son, their land must go to the closest male relative to keep the family name alive. The film tells the story of Anna who dreams of becoming a singer and stands up for her right to inherit her family's land. She challenges the long-standing customs that stop women from owning property. Her music becomes her way of protecting herself and fighting back against unfair treatment.
Cast
- Anna Ushkhvani
Release
The Men’s Land had its world premiere at the Visions du Réel on 9 April 2025.[4] It also competed for Heart of Sarajevo award in the Competition programme - Documentary Film at the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival on 20 August 2025.[5][6]
It had its Australian Premiere as part of the World Shorts at the Adelaide Film Festival on 22 October 2025.[7]
It competed in the Red Sea: Shorts Competition strand at the Red Sea International Film Festival and had screening on 8 December 2025.[8][9]
The film is also automatically nominated for the Oscars and the European Film Academy 2026.[10]
Accolades
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarajevo Film Festival | 22 August 2025 | Heart of Sarajevo for Best Short Documentary Film | The Men’s Land | Won | [11] |
| Red Sea International Film Festival | 13 December 2025 | The Yusr Awards Short Film | Nominated | [12] |
References
- ^ "The Men's Land". Adelaide Film Festival. 30 September 2025. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
- ^ "The Men's Land". Visions du Réel. 3 April 2025. Retrieved 24 August 2025.
- ^ Georg Szalai (22 August 2025). "Sarajevo Film Festival 2025 Awards: 'Wind, Talk to Me,' 'Our Time Will Come' Win Top Prizes". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ^ @Mariam Bakacho Khatchvani; (21 March 2025). "I'm happy to share good news: The Men's Land, Georgia, 2025 World Premiere 9 April 2025 at 20:30, Grande Salle, Nyon" – via Instagram.
- ^ Leo Barraclough (23 July 2025). "Fifty Films Compete for the Heart of Sarajevo Awards at 31st Sarajevo Film Festival". Variety. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
- ^ "Mariam Bakacho Khatchvani: No woman here has ever succeeded in claiming an inheritance". Sarajevo Film Festival. 20 August 2025. Retrieved 24 August 2025.
- ^ "World Shorts". Adelaide Film Festival. 30 September 2025. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
- ^ "The Men's Land". Red Sea International Film Festival. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
- ^ Salwa, Ola (6 November 2025). "The fifth Red Sea International Film Festival announces its full line-up". Cineuropa. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
- ^ "მარიამ ხაჭვანი სარაევოს კინოფესტივალის გამარჯვებულია" [Mariam Khachvani is the winner of the Sarajevo Film Festival]. Newsplus (in Georgian). 23 August 2025. Retrieved 24 August 2025.
- ^ Lodderhose, Diana (23 August 2025). "Wind, Talk To Me' Wins Best Feature At Sarajevo Film Festival Awards". Deadline. Retrieved 24 August 2025.
- ^ "Red Sea: Shorts Competition The Men's Land". Red Sea International Film Festival. Retrieved 7 November 2025.