Dedicated to the memory
of the Georgian warriors
of all times who have given their lives
for the freedom of their country.
A legend about a young man
entombed alive in a fortress wall,
had inspired the writers Chongadze,
Lordkipanidze and Suliashvili.
We followed in their footsteps.
PROLOGUE
I, the czar and warrior,
equal among you,
am blessing the start of construction
of the Surami Fortress.
THE LEGEND OF THE SURAMI FORTRESS
A Georgia-Film Studio Production
Second Artists Association
Screenplay by
Vazha GIGASHVILI
Directed by Dodo ABASHIDZE
Sergey PARADZHANOV
Director of Photography
Yuri KLIMENKO
Production Designer
Alexander DZHANSHIEV
Costume Designer
Irina MIKATADZE
Music by Dzhansug KAKHIDZE
Sound by Garry KUNTSEV
THE LEGEND OF THE SURAMI FORTRESS
TBILISI
SOUTH GATE
Vardo!
What happened?
We must dance
for the Prince's guests!
Look, the Prince is giving you
a new dress!
Put it on.
I'm not going to dance.
And I don't need his presents!
No, I won't dance.
Vardo, please! The Prince
has given me my freedom!
I'm free!
I'm my own master now!
And what about me, Durmishkhan?
Don't worry.
I'll save some money and buy you out.
Don't leave me!
I'll get rich soon,
and nothing will ever part us again.
Let's go now.
Let's dance for the Prince.
- You'll never come back!
- I will!
- I'm scared.
- Don't be, Gulisvardi.
I have a presentiment.
I'm afraid!
- Let's go!
- No.
- We must do a dance.
- I don't want to!
Dear Vardo, tell
our esteemed guest her fortune.
Who is she going to give birth to,
a boy or a girl?
Mistress, it's a boy.
Ismail, a boy.
Our loyal Durmishkhan,
The Prince is giving you
your freedom
and the stallion
you've raised yourself.
Dear Vardo,
on this day,
so happy for Durmishkhan,
perform for our guests your dance
"How sweet is the water
from the hands of a beloved."
Grand Prince,
I've brought a very bad news.
The Surami Fortress is collapsing
again.
The enemy will burst in the open
gates, our children will die.
It's crumbling! The fortress is
crumbling!
Is there nothing we can do?
Another sacrifice! Sacrifice...
STARTING ON THE ROAD
What is it, my love?
What frightened you?
It's not the first time that the fortress
collapsed.
Don't be afraid, I'm with you.
Let the czar worry about the fortress.
What do we have to care?
- I'm afraid.
- I'll save enough money.
You'll never come back.
I'll be back to buy you out, Vardo.
The fortress is falling down.
It's almost daybreak. Go.
I know you're not coming back.
I must hurry.
Durmishkhan!
Wait! Stop!
Give the horse back!
Stop, in the name of the Prince!
Give the horse back!
No, I won't!
- Give it back!
- No!
The Prince gave him to me.
You stupid sl*ve! The Prince was
just showing off before his guests.
Is he going to take back my freedom
too?
Here, take my dagger!
Take it all! And freedom too!
The Prince doesn't need
your miserable freedom!
Damn you all!
CARAVANSARY
Come here. Come on.
- Who? Me?
- Yes, you.
Come here.
Closer, closer.
- Are you speaking to me?
- Come here, don't be afraid.
- You mean me, sir?
- You, young man, you.
That's how I became free,
but homeless and poor.
You're lucky.
Allah blessed you with freedom,
without spilling any blood.
I've got it at the cost of
eternal suffering.
Listen to my story.
My name is Nodar Zalikashvili.
I'm a Georgian.
You're a Georgian?
CONFESSION
My father was run over by a cart,
and he d*ed.
The Prince had appropriated
our house and vineyard,
and had my mother and me driven
to his estate to be his servants.
One day my master had a guest.
Having drunk so much wine that they
became mad, they laughed in my face.
I couldn't understand
what they wanted,
but I realized
they were mocking at me.
They devised a monstrous game.
I was to toss up pomegranates,
and they cut them with their sabers.
The juice of pomegranates
b*rned my eyes.
I still hear
the swishing sound of their sabers.
Then they made me pick up
pomegranate seeds.
At last, the Prince said:
"Get ready, tomorrow morning
you'll go with my friend.
From now on he will be your Prince.
I'm exchanging you
for these two dogs.
Go and bring your mother."
My poor mother begged the Prince
to spare us.
She reminded him how faithfully
our family had served his house,
how diligently we had been picking
the best saffron for the Prince.
The Prince was deaf to her entreaties.
They called up Kondakar.
Kondakar only smiled at the Prince
obligingly and nodded his head.
On the master's order, we were driven
to the field and put in a yoke.
They made us thresh wheat.
There, under the yoke,
my mother d*ed,
broken by humiliation and shame.
I lost my senses grieving.
Even my master, a tyrant that he was,
came to himself after his drunken
stupor,
and in terror began praying to God
to have mercy on him.
That's how I bid farewell
to my mother.
My lord,
I, Nodar Zalikashvili, an orphan
and your loyal servant,
am kneeling before you.
I've brought you two hundred
choice saffron flowers
that my mother had gathered for you.
The Prince's smug laugh
was his last.
In a minute he ceased to laugh
forever.
I gave my last pennies
to a merchant I met.
He helped me to change into
a woman's dress.
Together we set out for foreign lands.
A guard on the border
guessed it all,
however he kept my secret.
I changed my clothes, and my language.
I adopted another faith.
I was moving away from my country.
My hope of regaining it
was evaporating.
Wars and battles became
my lifestyle.
After I shed a warrior's armour,
I became a merchant.
I got wealthy and independent.
But the past haunted me.
I felt homesick.
I couldn't forgive myself
for having renounced my faith.
PATH OF FATE
It's daybreak.
I must have tired you
with my confession.
My caravan is heading for Gulansharo.
Join us,
as long as fate has put you
in our path.
Accept this robe from me.
Bring the horse!
I've chosen this horse for you myself.
Look at this beauty!
A horse worthy of a king!
Remember, his name is
Mertskhala, or Swallow.
You're giving me
a horse and a robe?
Allah is giving them to you.
For luck...
Durmishkhan.
A good deed will never vanish
without leaving a trace.
Never.
Don't forget my name.
It's Osman-aha.
GULANSHARO
WEDDING
AND BLACK INTOXICATION
Why are you laughing, wife?
Osman-aha gave me a cross.
Show it to me.
Thank you, Osman-aha.
Oh God, how happy I am!
I am a grieving mother of your God,
the Holy Virgin.
He laid down His life for His sheep.
Let the world be one,
and love one.
Are you saying it to me,
the Light-Faced one?
He came to you,
your kind Shepherd,
and you didn't recognize Him.
You didn't have mercy on Him.
You stripped Him bare
and divided His clothes by lot.
You didn't spare Him.
My eyes are opened!
You opened them, the Light-Faced one.
Osman-aha!
Whose child is it?
To whom does this Lamb of God belong?
It's my child.
Let him grow!
Who's poured the black intoxicant
in me?
Who's made me drunk?
I gave you black wine.
Now I'll give you milk.
What is it, my dear?
Help me!
Be patient.
God is merciful.
Don't be afraid, I'm with you.
If we have a boy, we'll name him
Zurab, if a girl - Gulisvardi.
What?
No, not Gulisvardi.
Why did you think of that name?
Zurab, Gulisvardi.
PRAYER
Have you ever met Durmishkhan,
a merchant?
He's tall and handsome.
No, we haven't met him.
And you, did you see him?
No, I didn't.
Durmishkhan.
Tall and handsome.
No, I haven't seen him.
Saint Nino,
have mercy on me, help me.
O Archangel, I've come a long way
to pray to you.
Here, I'm making a sacrifice of
a rooster.
I beg you, help me,
relieve me of my anguish.
Saint David, I could hardly make
my way to you.
I've brought you a sheep.
Help me, I'm perishing.
Sacrifice a red rooster!
Sacrifice a red rooster!
Hey, beautiful, buy something.
Let me see your shawl.
All right, I'll make an exchange.
Take two.
FORTUNETELLER
What misfortune has brought you here,
girl?
He's gone away and never returned.
Tell me my fortune, I'm perishing.
Oh, woe! Woe!
It flied on and on, and flit away!
It was near, near, then gone out of
sight!
You loved him, you cherished him,
and he ran away?
Yes, ran away. Help me.
Tell me, what should I do?
How am I going to live?
Come here. Look!
Go away!
You shouldn't be here.
It's not easy to be a fortuneteller.
I've made up my mind.
Come to your senses.
Don't ruin your life, my child.
Go home.
There's no way back.
You're young and beautiful.
Go back, you deserve a better lot.
No.
My heart is aching.
My heart...
Woe upon me.
Save yourself, you wretched soul.
This house is cursed.
Cursed by God.
Cursed by God.
I feel so bad!
Help me!
My heart aches!
My heart!
I'm dying.
My heart is aching.
Help me!
I'm dying!
There's a white cloak over there.
Cover me with it.
Cover me. I'm shivering!
I feel so bad.
So bad!
Cover me!
Cover me!
I can't get warm.
Your cloak is so cold, Archil!
I feel so bad.
Cover me better, daughter.
Run from this house, my dear.
If you stay, it will be your end.
How cold is your cloak, Archil.
I'm feeling so bad!
Oh, you wretched!
Why are you leaving us?
Why are you going away?
Leaving us, poor souls.
You're going to your beloved Archil!
There you'll be able to caress
your dear Archil!
You poor soul!
Whatever happened to you?
Your pretty eyes are closed now!
Go away!
Men are not allowed here.
We brought a coffin.
Go away!
I'm taking this rug.
May her soul rest in the kingdom
of heaven.
She loved me very much,
she didn't spare a thing for me.
So I'm taking this rug.
And you can live here and tell
fortunes.
Is that all she possessed?
Tell fortunes, deceive people.
People like to be deceived.
Nothing hurts like the truth,
but a lie is always welcome.
I'm taking the rug.
Oh, poor soul!
Why do you have to suffer so?
We nearly dropped her.
She was good to everyone!
Woe on us!
We forgot the coffin lid.
Oh, poor soul!
We've made such a long trip,
and all for nothing.
She's dead.
We've brought gifts.
A basket of apples, a turkey.
God is merciful.
Can you tell us our fortune?
You're from Surami.
Your husband's name is Durmishkhan.
O Lord! You're all-powerful!
You're pregnant. Get up.
Show me your belly.
You're going to have a son.
It's a great miracle!
It's a great fortune!
Son! Zurab!
Now leave.
And take everything you brought.
God forbid, this is for you, dear,
the apples and the basket.
I don't want anything from you.
DROLL PIPER
How are you, Zurikiya?
Piper Simon, I'm not Zurikiya,
I'm a boy, Zurab.
And what has that rascal, your father,
brought you from Gulansharo?
Nothing.
And I brought you some nuts.
If I'm not mistaken, Zurab,
this is our second lesson.
Let's begin.
This is Nino, Georgia's enlightener.
She introduced Christianity here.
Have you seen the cross of vine,
fastened with a woman's hair lock?
And this is the light-faced Tamar.
Dev locked her up in a dark dungeon,
but the darkness lifted,
the doors of the dungeon opened up,
and the divine Tamar is shining again,
as a morning star in the sky.
And this is Parnavaz.
He created our alphabet.
The Holy Virgin,
robed in Sun,
had inspired him
to perform this great act.
There's a statue of Parnavaz
on the lber Mountain in Mzkheta.
And this is Amiran.
The Greeks called him Prometheus.
He had stolen fire from the gods
and given it to mankind.
For this he was chained to a rock
by the gods.
Since then he's been suffering,
suffering, suffering.
When Amiran breaks his chains,
Georgia will become free.
Piper Simon,
thank you for your second lesson.
ABSOLUTION
These gifts are to be presented
to holy father. God be with you!
Get up. Go, quick.
Load all the treasures!
Take them away!
HOLY FATHER
AND THE SECOND BAPTISM
Please, Father,
absolve me of my sins.
I give all these treasures
to the unfortunate orphans and widows.
I give up everything
I've earned by my honest work.
Bless you, my son.
These are hard times now.
Be careful.
Go back to your people,
to your religion.
Go back to your country.
I know everything about your life.
God is merciful.
May He reward people
with His heavenly blessing
for their earthly hardship and ordeal.
Thank Thee, Lord.
Nodar Zalikashvili.
Thank you.
Remember this.
God bless you.
Thank you.
My dream has come true.
TESTAMENT
Listen to me carefully, Durmishkhan.
From now on, all my business
will be in your hands.
Soon furs will arrive from the North.
You'll receive the load and do
with it whatever you deem right.
What's the matter, Osman-aha?
Why are you saying this?
For God's sake, explain what
happened?
Our paths go different ways now.
I bequeath to you
half of my wealth.
Try to be sensible
as how you use it.
Do not become a sl*ve of money.
Protect your hearth.
Raise a good son.
You're leaving me alone.
Why?
DREAM
AND PRESENTIMENT OF DEATH
The sun goes up,
then the sun goes down.
It returns to
where it has risen from.
Rivers flow to the seas.
And the seas are never overflown.
The water gets back to its sources
in order to flow forever.
Everything disappears and
everything remains in the universe.
BEGINNING OF LOVE
Tomorrow is "berikaoba".
I'll be a butterfly.
I'm a butterfly.
If you're a butterfly,
then I'm a grasshopper.
- I'm a butterfly.
- I'm a grasshopper.
CZAR
AND POPULAR GAME
This is holy Nino.
Rise a little, Father, I'll put in
some hay. You'll be more comfortable.
I wish to know
what is the real situation today
in the country.
Go ahead and report to me.
With God's help
and as you commanded,
the fortress of Argaushvat
has been restored.
With God's help
and as you commanded,
the fortress of Daukhvdy
has been restored.
With God's help
and as you commanded,
the fortress of Dakhkar
has been restored.
O great Czar, our people
work indefatigably.
All the fortresses have been rebuilt.
And what do you have to say,
young man?
The Surami Fortress is crumbling,
sire.
And nothing can be done?
No. We build it and it crumbles.
Over and over again.
What is your advice?
All our efforts are in vain.
We should ask the fortuneteller.
Ask her.
Our great Czar!
I, peasant Torgvadze,
announce the beginning
of the Feast of Berike.
Protect me, Saint George!
We worship your visage!
Protect me from the dragon.
Protect me, Saint George!
Protect me from the dragon!
We worship your holy visage!
I ask you!
I beg you!
Protect me from the dragon!
Saint George!
My people, let's genuflect
in sacred memory of the heroes
who have d*ed on b*ttlefield
now and ever, throughout history.
I and my family
begin a rite of sacrifice.
Father, today I appeared
before the Czar.
Did he speak to you?
Yes, we discussed the matter
of building fortresses.
Have all the fortresses been built?
Yes, except for the Surami Fortress.
It's the hand of God!
Father, we decided to seek advice
from fortuneteller Vardo.
The people call her a clairvoyant.
Oh God!
How can a fortuneteller help?
Father, and what if a w*r starts?
Should a w*r start, father?
w*r is a terrible disaster, my son.
Are you afraid?
I am. Because no one knows
what may happen.
What shall we do, father?
THE WAY ZURAB SEES
AN INVASION
RUN OF TIME
What misfortune has brought you
here?
Speak up.
What misfortune?
Don't be angry with me, Vardo.
I can't see you.
You can't see me?
Tell me, what color is the water?
What color?
It's cold.
Cold.
You go to Garedzhi,
you go a long way.
You find a spring,
and wash your eyes.
You let a black dove go,
and you catch a white dove.
Black, white...
I can't see you, Vardo.
SIN REPEATED
O Allah,
save my family from the w*r.
From destruction.
Guard against an evil eye.
O Allah!
Protect my family
and all my wealth
from w*r and destruction.
Protect from an evil eye!
I must hurry, Zurab.
I need to take care of
our goods in Gulansharo.
Otherwise, in case of w*r,
we'll be ruined.
I leave you in charge here,
in Surami.
Take care of our home, but don't
forget about our princedom's needs.
Help it with food...
with building materials...
so that no one could reproach us.
I lay my hopes on you, Zurab.
Father, let me speak.
Please, cross yourself our Christian
way, before you start on the road.
It's not the time for prayers.
Am I to blame for something, father?
Mind your business.
She lives over there!
- All the way up?
- Yes.
Let the Czar's envoys pass!
Make way for the Czar's envoys!
Make way!
Step back!
What misfortune has brought you here?
Great misfortune. We cannot
build the Surami Fortress.
The Surami Fortress?
We've come a long way.
We seek your advice.
We've brought you
the Surami earth and water.
Save us.
Tell us what to do.
Go away.
We came to you with a great hope.
The Grand Prince sent us.
Get out of my house.
You all go.
And you stay.
Take a seat.
Here is a basin.
What is it that you brought?
The Surami water and earth.
Pour the earth out.
Now pour the water out.
What else did you bring?
Gold. The people sent it.
Gold.
Drop the gold into the basin.
Mix it.
Mix it!
Look.
The Surami Fortress!
It doesn't crumble!
It means it can be built?
Yes, it can.
But how?
The gold should be bricked in.
Where can our people get gold?
You didn't understand.
Poor creature.
Gold is a tall,
handsome...
blue-eyed...
young man.
Now you understand?
I do, Vardo! I understand!
A tall, blue-eyed...
I understand!
The Surami Fortress will be built!
It will be built!
What is it, Zurab?
What did she say?
What happened?
Nothing.
What do you mean, nothing?
Why don't you say something?
- What did she say?
- Let's go.
Have you swallowed your tongue?
What's the matter? Explain it.
What did she say?
"If a people has a young man
who is capable of being bricked in
alive in a fortress wall,
then this country and its people
are unconquerable."
Niko Lordkipanidze.
Oh God!
Why did I live to see this?
Bless me, piper Simon.
Oh God...
Mother Earth.
Where is he? Where?
Here. Right here.
When you were born,
I made a blue blanket for you,
for you were my son, too.
I sent you to your death.
To your death.
Forgive me.
But you must know that it was
not revenge.
I've become part
of your immortality.
My son!
My son!
Great Czar,
allow me to kneel
and kiss the earth.
I'm a wretched mother.
Mother of the entombed young man,
my only son.
Take my life too.
People! Bow down
before this great deed.
Take your swords
and guard your country,
as this noble heart
entombed in a fortress did.
Come up, young man.
Yes, sire.
Take this sword and bow down
before the martyred mother.
Bow down all!
The high-born and the low-born!
The wealthy and the poor!
Be worthy
of her holy prayers!
I, the Czar and warrior,
equal among you,
order you to stop lamenting.
Light up the sky!
May there be light!
It stands!
It stands!
The fortress stands!
O, the Surami Fortress!
I appeal to you in anguish.
My son is entombed here.
Protect his immortal peace...
Starring
VERIKO ANDZHAPARIDZE
DODO ABASHIDZE
SOFIKO CHIAURELI
DEDUKHANA TSERODZE
TAMAR TSITSISHVILI
ZURAB KIPSHIDZE
LEVAN UCHAINESHVILI
LEILA ALIBEGASHVILI
and others
The End
Legend of Suram Fortress, The (1985)
Moderator: Maskath3