Corn Island

An old peasant and his innocent granddaughter sow corn on an island in the middle of the Inguri River dividing Georgia from Abkhazia. Made out of washed-up dirt, rocks, and debris, the island might exist for years—or it might soon be swept away. The farmers can’t help but take the risk to escape poverty. But then there’s the other risk, of being caught in the ongoing border conflict between the two territories. Told through captivating imagery and almost devoid of dialogue, the second feature from renowned Georgian filmmaker George Ovashvili is a majestic drama about the fragile bond between man and nature. It won the top prize in Karlovy Vary last year and was the Georgian Oscar entry for the Best Foreign Language Film, remarkably making the January shortlist.