ON THE WAY HOME (2024) Slamdance 2024

This is the story of two Georgian families displaced by war. Fleeing war in their home land they fled to a former Soviet resort town and took up leaving in a decaying spas and sanatoriums of the Georgian town of Tskaltubo as they wait for a place to live.

This is a moving film. To be certain it is another in the too long line of films concerning refugees, however it is necessary. It’s not that there are too many, rather we need to stop the conflicts that require films like this and the only  way that will happen is if we continue to bear witness to the fact these tragedies are happening. And more importantly that many of these tragedies are happening at the instigation of Moscow, where Putin and his cronies are fostering violence in the former Soviet Republics in a bid to reform the country and control everything around them.

ON THE WAY  HOME is largely free of violence. The people we are following have left the war behind and are simply trying to survive. Yes we see some war in archival footage but mostly we are watching people try to get by.

This is a film of quiet power and is recommended.