Magdana's Donkey

Magdana's Donkey (მაგდანას ლურჯა, Лурджа Магданы) is a 1955 Georgian black-and-white social-themed drama film co-directed by Revaz Chkheidze and Tengiz Abuladze based on a short story of the same name by Ekaterine Gabashvili.

Plot
In a small Georgian village at the beginning of the 20th century(? 1895), a widow (Magdana) and her three children (Sopo, Mikho, and Kato) live in poverty, making ends meet by selling yoghurt in the city. The children find a sick abandoned donkey and bring it back to health and then the family's luck begins to change for the better. Then the donkeys old owner (Mitua) sees the donkey in the city and wants it back.

Production
This film was the debut feature of Tengiz Abuladze and Revaz Chkheidze. Magdana's Donkey was acclaimed as the start of a “new wave” in Soviet cinema.

The leading role (Magdana) was played by Georgian actress Dudukhana Tserodze. The film won the Best Fiction Short award at the 1956 Cannes Film Festival.

Cast

 * Dudukhana Tserodze as Magdana
 * L. Moistsrapishvili as Sopo (Magdana's older daughter)
 * Mikho Borashvili as Mikho (Magdana's boy)
 * Nani Chikvinidze as Kato (Magdana's younger daughter)
 * Akaki Kvantaliani as Mitua
 * Karlo Sakandelidze as Vano
 * Akaki Vasadze as Village Foreman/Landlord
 * Aleksandre Omiadze as Gigo (Magdana's Father)
 * Aleksandre Takaishvili as Judge

Prizes and awards

 * Prix du film de fiction - court métrage - 1956 Cannes Film Festival
 * Special prize in Edinburgh International Film Festival (1956)