# ‘Tear Gas’ Is a Fiction Film Shot Inside Georgia Anti-Government Protests. And It Is “an Act of Resistance”

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/tear-gas-is-a-fiction-film-shot-inside-georgia-anti-government-protests-and-it-is-an-act-of-resistance/
- Published: 2026-08-10T07:01:00+00:00
- Original publisher: The Hollywood Reporter
- Original article: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/tear-gas-georgia-fiction-film-shot-in-real-protests-locarno-1236663941/
- Topics: Government, Politics

## Key points

- Fiction film "Tear Gas" was filmed amid real Tbilisi protests.
- Premieres 12 August at Locarno Film Festival.
- Reflects 600+ days of unrest over Georgia's "Russia law".

## Summary

A new fiction film, "Tear Gas," directed by Georgian filmmaker Uta Beria, was shot inside real anti-government demonstrations in Tbilisi, blending scripted drama with footage of ongoing protests against the Georgian government. The film follows 16-year-old Elene and her family as they are drawn into the unrest, and is described by its makers as an act of resistance highlighting freedom of expression amid a crackdown protesters fear mirrors Russia's authoritarian path.

The film premieres on 12 August in the Filmmakers of the Present competition at the 79th Locarno Film Festival, having previously won two awards worth €10,000 each at International Film Festival Rotterdam's IFFR Pro industry section. Protests in Tbilisi have continued for more than 600 days, driven largely by opposition to Georgia's "Foreign Agents Law," widely dubbed the "Russia law" for its resemblance to legislation used by Vladimir Putin to suppress civil society. Beria said the five-year production process was hampered by the difficulty of securing funding amid Georgia's turbulent political climate.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.