Goodnight, Mister Stalin

In the Georgian town where Josef Stalin was born, two women become embroiled in an inter-generational struggle over their conflicting interpretations of a contested history.

Seventy years after the death of one of history’s most feared dictators, the town of Gori in Georgia remains inextricably linked with its most famous son. For Nasi, a resident of the town, keeping that association alive and promoting an image of Stalin as a benevolent leader is central to her identity. Her beliefs bring her into conflict with her adoptive granddaughter Zhana, an activist fighting for a more open reckoning with his dark legacy. As the two women attempt to reconcile their differences, reflecting on how their personal experiences of war have shaped their politics, a fascinating study emerges of the impact of unresolved Soviet-era legacies on present-day culture wars.

This film will screen as part of the programme Shorts: Staying with the Trouble.