Brighton 4th / Film School Radio interview with Director Levan Koguashvili

BRIGHTON 4th is a beguiling portrait of parental sacrifice and the love of a father for his son, former wrestler Kakhi (played by real-life Olympic champion Levan Tediashvili) embarks on a journey from his home in the Republic of Georgia to visit his son Soso (Giorgi Tabidze) in the Russian-speaking neighborhood of Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. There he finds him living in a shabby boarding house populated by a colorful group of fellow Georgian immigrants. Soso is not studying medicine, as Kakhi believed, but is working for a moving company and has accrued a $14,000 gambling debt to a local Russian mob boss. Kakhi sets his mind to helping his hapless son out of his debt, leading to situations as often comic as they are dire. Lensed by Oscar®-nominated cinematographer Phedon Papamichael (The Trial of the Chicago 7, Nebraska), Levan Koguashvili’s BRIGHTON 4TH won three major awards at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival – Best International Film, Best Actor, and Best Screenplay – and is Georgia’s official submission to the 94th Academy Awards®. Director Levan Koguashvili joins us for a conversation on the challenges and the great rewards of working with non-professional actors, exploring the ex-pat community of Brighton Beach and working with the first time actor and wrestling legend Levan Tedaishvili and Russian screen legend Kakhi Kavsadze. Playing in Los Angeles at: laemmle.com/brighton-4th For updates and screenings go to: kinomarquee.com/Brighton 4th