Edisher (Davit) Giorgobiani

Varlam, the despotic mayor of a small town, dies. After his funeral, his body is repeatedly unearthed and buried again. Through flashbacks and dreamlike scenes, we witness his rise, power and ambiguities.

Shot in one fluid take, this visually hypnotic cinematic feat is an ode to the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg. A marquis guides us through the lavish galleries examining architectural details and paintings, while following a dreamlike plot, and helped by a cast of 867 actors who supply the action of the film.