Tear Gas19 is a fictional film set against the backdrop of the protests in Tbilisi, which have been taking place daily for the past two years. Director Uta Beria follows Elene, a 16-year-old girl, and her family through a series of events that unfolded during these demonstrations. Many scenes were filmed on location: we see police forces violently charging protesters and using tear gas—the weapon that gives the film its title. The gas, which is supposed to cause tearing, is mixed before use with a banned toxic component20. The use of this mixture is strictly prohibited, yet it is regularly employed by the Georgian government.
Protests in Tbilisi – Photo Jérôme Chobeaux
As soon as filming was announced, the director faced difficulties reminiscent of the methods once employed by Soviet authorities to suppress artists who did not “toe the line”:
- Funding for the film was cut off. In December 2022, the Georgian Film Center had granted financial support, but half of the promised amount was not paid out. The film was nevertheless completed by reducing the initial budget and thanks to personal funds contributed by the film crew and the director, who went into debt personally.
- As Uta Beria states: “The people at the Georgian Film Center don’t give money to filmmakers who don’t think like them” (statement to *The Hollywood Reporter* magazine, August 2026). She adds: “My colleagues think this might be the last independent film, because the situation here is getting tougher and tougher. ”
- Georgian authorities threatened sanctions ahead of the film’s screening at the Locarno Film Festival. The Georgian Film Center sent a letter to the producers warning them of the risk of a financial penalty if the film were screened. The Center defends itself by claiming that *Tear Gas* had not complied with current administrative procedures—an argument straight out of the “Soviet- style” censorship playbook. Back in the day, films by directors Otar Iosseliani and Sergei Paradjanov had been subjected to similar treatment.
- Finally, Georgian authorities attempted to prevent the film’s screening at the Locarno Film Festival. According to Uta Beria, the Center reportedly contacted the Locarno Film Festival21 directly to request that the film not be shown at its world premiere on August 12. The screening went ahead as planned, however, and *Tear Gas* ultimately received the Independent Jury Prize.
Uta Beria – photo from social media
For Uta Beria, “this film is an act of resistance.” “Several of my friends and colleagues are in prison.” “Obviously, I can’t set them free, but I was able to fully express myself and take action through this film,” he adds. He hopes that, thanks to *Tear Gas*, more people around the world will become aware of the situation in Georgia.
