Eliso (1928)

Directed by Nikoloz Shengelaya; script by Sergei Tretyakov and Nikoloz Shengelaya; camera by Vladimer Kereselidze; movie poster by Nikolai Prusakov.

The film is based on a popular Georgian tale written by Alexander Kazbegi about the love of a Christian boy for a Moslem girl. Although the story addresses the problems of religious prejudice, the film concentrates more on the past of the Caucasus and the forced resettlement of the Chechen people. The directors underscore the theme of the solidarity between the different peoples persecuted by the Tsarist government.

The innovative use of montage and the outstanding graphic culture of the film make it one of the finest works of Soviet cinema. Directed by Nikoloz Shengelaya (1905–1943), it was given a sound track in 1935. The film is also known as Caucasian Love.