Eliso (1928)

Eliso is a 1928 Soviet silent adventure film directed by Nikoloz Shengelaia and loosely based on the short story by Alexander Kazbegi. It was made in the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic.

It was released in the United States in 1929 by Amkino under the alternative title of Caucasian Love.

The Emperor’s Government is trying to find the pretext to evict the Chechen people from their homes and resettle the area with the Cossacks. The population sends a letter to the Governor asking him to rescind the decision about their deportation. Seidula who is nothing but a crook, makes up a false letter in which the Chechens approve their deportation and then assure illiterate peasants to prove heir consent with their own fingerprints. The beguiled people are being deported to Turkey as a result. Chechen Eliso is in love with Vajia from Khevsureti (Georgia). Before her deportation desperate Eliso puts the empty village on fire. Vajia manages somehow to have the general annul the order of deportation, but it’s already too late.

Director: Nikoloz Shengelaya
Screenplays: Nikoloz Shengelaya, Sergei Tretiakov
Director of Photography: Vladimer Kereselidze
Production Design: Dimitri Shevardnadze
Music: Iona Tuskia
Sound: Rostislav Lapinski, I. Grigoriani
Cast: Kira Andronikashvili (Eliso), Kokhta Karalashvili (Vajia), Aleqsandre Imedashvili (Astamir), Tsetsilia Tsutsunava (Zazubeka), Ilia Mamforia (Seidulla), Aleqsandre (Sandro) Jorjoliani (General), K. Gurianov (Billeting officer), I. Galkin (Village constable), Marika Chmshkyan (Muslimati), Gogi Ratiani, Zaal Terishvili