It’s 1992. Young Dina lives in a remote mountain village where life is strictly governed by centuries-old tradition. Dina’s grandfather has promised her to David, who is returning from the war. But with him comes a comrade-in-arms, the handsome Gegi, and Dina falls in love. Is it possible to defy the firmly established order? And, if so, at what price? The ravishing beauty of the majestic, unyielding natural surroundings only serves to accentuate the heroine’s struggle with tradition as she seeks to acquire her freedom and the right to make her own decisions.
"The story of Dede is based upon and dedicated to my grandmother’s real-life experience. As such, it was important to me to retain a palpable sense of authenticity and to show a community and a way of life, which has not been seen on film before. /.../ Working with natives in my birthplace has enriched the filmmaking experience and helped make the film that I wanted to make. It’s something of a paradise there, and this is the reason why the locals don’t leave this place, even though life can be difficult." (Mariam Khatchvani)
Mariam Hačvani
Born in 1986, in the village of Ushguli, in north Georgia, Khatchvani studied film direction at the Georgia State University. She first made documentaries, and in 2013 shot Dinola, an award-winning short feature that screened at more than thirty festivals all over the world. Dede is her feature film debut.