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The film about naive painter Pirosmani was one of Shengelaia’s earlier movies but is nevertheless widely considered among his most important works.
Nikoloz ‘Niko’ Pirosmanishvili was a Georgian painter active around the turn of the 20th century and is considered an important representant of naive art. However, like many artists growing up on the countryside, he was discovered very late and lived a big part of his life in poverty. In Pirosmani, Shengelaia shows the audience the tragic tale of a man who does not find his place in society. At the same time, it is also a movie told through images. In short episodes that are introduced by paintings of Pirosmani, we follow the protagonist walking down from one end of the frame to the other, searching for a place where he is welcome. The protagonist manifests his talent by painting out walls, letterings or paintings that ornament the many restaurants of Tbilissi, Georgia’s capital.

The world that Shengelaia depicts in his movie is over-shadowed by a strong feeling of melancholy. In spite of the fact that most scenes are set in restaurants, wine celllars and at feasts, the audience is exposed to a sad and desolate world that lacks true communication. The protagonist is not following a clear goal; he is searching for understanding that in the end remains uncommunicable. Accepting his fate, we see Pirosmani crouched down in the end of the movie, rejecting the world he was rejected by.
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