Ana Urushadze’s ‘Supporting Role’ Trailer Launches Ahead of Rotterdam Premiere

The trailer for “Supporting Role,” the second feature by Georgian writer-director Ana Urushadze, has been unveiled ahead of its world premiere in the Tiger Competition at the International Film Festival Rotterdam next month. This film follows the success of Urushadze’s debut feature, “Scary Mother,” which premiered in 2017, winning the award for best first feature at the Locarno Film Festival and securing the top prize at the Sarajevo Film Festival.

“Supporting Role” chronicles the journey of a once-acclaimed star of Georgian cinema. After a casting session with a young female director, he embarks on a surreal and fatalistic odyssey of self-transformation. Traditionally accustomed to portraying charming heroic protagonists, he is affronted by the prospect of accepting a supporting role. Gradually, he finds himself slipping into the character, ultimately embracing the role he initially resisted.

Starring in the film is Dato Bakhtadze, who is joined by Nata Murvanidze, the lead actress from “Scary Mother,” who received accolades for best performance at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. The film is produced by a collaborative team, including Davit Tsintsadze of Georgia’s Zazafilms, Ivo Felt of Allfilm in Estonia, Zeynep Atakan of Zeyno Film in Turkey, Andrey Epifanov of Cinetrain in Switzerland, Eleonora Granata Jenkinson of Melograno Films in the United States, along with Sophio Bedenashvili and Bacho Meburishvili of Enkeny Films and Bakhtadze in Georgia.

The film’s cinematography was completed on location in Georgia by Estonian cinematographer Rein Kotov. Funding for the production was provided by various entities, including the Georgian National Film Center, the Estonian Film Institute, the Estonian Cultural Endowment, the MEDIA Programme of Creative Europe, Eurimages, and Cinetrain.

With its premiere just around the corner, “Supporting Role” is already generating excitement in the film community, promising to deliver a profound exploration of identity and transformation. The International Film Festival Rotterdam is set to showcase this compelling narrative, emphasizing Urushadze’s growing reputation in international cinema.