Hostages (2017 film)

Hostages is a 2017 drama film directed and written by Rezo Gigineishvili and co-written by Lasha Bugadze. It was screened in the Panorama section at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival. The film is based on a true story about a group of Georgian youngsters who try to escape the Soviet Union by hijacking a plane in 1983.

Plot
During the early 1980s in Soviet Georgia, just a few years before the collapse of the Soviet Union, a group of young people from respected Georgian families were looking to escape the Soviet Union. The Beatles's music, jeans, American cigarettes, position in society, guaranteed future. They seemed to have everything except one thing —  freedom. Unfortunately, The price of their freedom was their own demise. A true story based on the events of 1983, when six guys and one girl tried to hijack a plane in order to escape from the USSR.

Cast

 * Merab Ninidze (Levan)
 * Darejan Kharshiladze (Nino)
 * Tinatin Dalakishvili (Anna)
 * Avtandil Makharadze (Shota, Sandro's father)
 * Irakli Kvirikadze (Nika)
 * Giga Datiashvili (Koka)
 * Giorgi Grdzelidze (Sandro)
 * George Tabidze (Oto)
 * Giorgi Khurtsilava (Lasha)
 * Vakhtang Chachanidze (Irakli)
 * Ekaterine Kalatozishvili (Tamuna)

Production
The film is a Georgian-Russian co-production and the producing companies are NEBO Films and 20 Steps Productions. The film's script won a co-production competition which was held by the Georgian National Film Center.

London-based sales agent WestEnd Films acquired world rights to Rezo Gigineishvili's drama film after its premiere in the Panorama strand of the 2017 Berlin Film Festival.

Reception
Hostages has an approval rating of 90% on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 10 reviews.