The GIFT Festival is an annual celebration bringing the best of the visiting arts in Tbilisi, as well as leading the country’s unique cultural profile internationally. Since its inception the Gift Festival hosted more than 300 international visiting groups and companies and yet remains as one of the major platform in Caucasus for international exchange and cooperation. 

Georgian International Festival of Arts GIFT in Tbilisi in honor of Michael Tumanishvili will run from October 18 till November 16 2018 to deliver to the Georgian theatergoers and the art-lover audience the range of endeavor which will promote European understanding through excellent culture. The Gift festival is boasting several grand openings over a month and celebrating two decades of the festival which, according to the British press  “like all great festivals –including Edinburgh, at its magnificent best – is about these mutual acts of giving; allowing the great tradition of Georgian theatre to give itself to the world, and demonstrating to this great and beautiful city that the world does not always arrive to invade and conquer, but sometimes comes to sing, laugh, weep and celebrate, to heal the wounds of history, and to face the future together.” Joyce McMillan, Chief Theatre Critic. Scotsman, UK

With the great past of the Gift Festival, founded in 1997 by the International Board of Directors of Edinburgh, Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth International Arts Festivals and up to date being supported by Peter Brook, Sasha Waltz, Vanessa Redrgave, Michael kahn, Andron Konchalowski, and many other thespians and luminaries of the world drama, it  was banned due to political repression towards opposition point of view of its actual organizer, founder and Artistic Director Keti Dolidze in 2007, which revived only 5 years later in 2013 after contra-revolution in power, but yet prevailing over power politics in development process of the culture policy in Georgia.  Therefore openness, democratic and comprehensive selection of the Festival Program and cooperation with the Georgian Arts Institutions is fundamental, as by advancing capacity to be equally skilled for European partnership in legal or in other specific aspects is crucial, which will also support the Georgian culture to communicate and share its voice Globally.

THIS YEAR’s HIGHLIGHTS:

Georgian International Festival of Arts GIFT in Tbilisi, Arts Council Norway, The Norwegian Performing Arts Hub, Norwegian Artist Research program, Danse og Teatersentrum, Embassy of Norway in Georgia

                      Present THE NORVEGIAN CULTURE FOCUSIN GEORGIA 

The Gift Festival aimed to create a special focus on contemporary Norwegian culture and especially on modern Norwegian performing arts. By following the Gift festival tradition we offer this exceptional panorama from the capital of Northern Europe. By presenting THE NORWEGIAN CULTURE FOCUS 2018. For the first time in the Caucasus we aim to introduce a unique, interesting and captivating modern culture of Norway today.

Georgian International Festival of Arts GIFT in Tbilisi in Honor of Michael Tumanishvili

                                                        In association with:

MIBAC / Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Activities and Tourism (Ministero dei Beni e delle Attività Culturali e del Turismo), Italian Embassy Tbilisi, Sardegna Teatro and Compagnia, Comune di Cagliari, Fondazione di Sardegna, RAS - Regione Autonoma della Sardegna

                                                     ITALIAN FOCUS 2018

                    SARDINIAN CULTURE DAYS IN GEORGIA, 1-5 November 2018

                                                                MACBETTU

                          Awards: Best Performance UBU 2017 - ANCT 2017 Award (National                                                               Association of Theater Critics)

                                       Based on William Shakespeare’s Macbeth

                                                 Directed by Alessandro Serra

                                                Presented by Sardegna Teatro

                                TEATRI DI RILEVANTE INTERESSE CULTURALE

        Lead Status granted by MIBAC / Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and                              Tourism (Ministero dei  Beni e delle Attività Culturali e del Turismo)

                                Scenography and Costumes: Alessandro Serra

                                       Music soundtracks: Pinuccio Sciola
                                  Composition soundtracks: Marcellino Garau

                               18/19 October, Royal District Theatre, 20:00

                                                                  THE KRUMPLE

                                                        YŌKAI Remedy for Despair       

      The cast:  Jo Even Bjørke, Louisa Hollway, Vanessa Mecke, Oda Kirkebø Nyfløtt, 

                                 Léna Rondé, David Tholander, and Vincent Vernerie.

  YOKAI won first prize at the Les Plateaux du Groupe Geste(s) 2016, chosen as the most 

                      promising new theatre piece at at Théâtre de Châtillon, Paris.

            26/27 October, Rustaveli State Academic Drama Theatre, 20:00

                                           Dmitry Krymov Laboratory,

    Moscow Theatre “School of Dramatic Arts” and Producer Leonid Roberman

                                           Present WITHOUT A DOWRY

                                              Alexander Ostrovsky

                                          Directed by Dmitry Krymov

                                   Scenic designer: Anna Kostrikova

                                Video designer: Elizaveta Keshisheva

                                    Choreographer: Anatoly Voinov

                                                     12/13 November

                                           GIFT FESTIVAL NORWEGIAN CULTURE FOCUS

In association with Performing Arts Hub Norway (PAHN) & Norwegian Art Council (Kulturradet)

                                                                   Presents 

                                           Winter Guests and Alan Lucien Øyen

                                         Kote Marjanishvili State Drama Theatre

                                                          SIMULACRUM

                                   Director and Choreographer: Alan Lucien Øyen

                                   Kabuki choreo / Music,”Natsue”: Kanjuro Fujima

Kanjuro Fujima is a Kabuki furitsuke-shi (choreographer). He is the head of the Fujima school of traditional Japanese dance (Nihon buyo). His grandfather, Fujima Kanjuro IV was the highly acclaimed choreographer and dancer who was eventually designated a “Living National Treasure” by the Japanese government and whose oeuvre included a large number work. His mother Fujima Kanso III, is also a currently  active Kabuki dance furitsuke-shi.
                                            Creative Associate/text: Andrew Wale
                                     Set design: Åsmund Færavaag, Andy Cavatorta
                                        Performance/Choreography: Shōji Kojima
                                       Performance/Choreography: Daniel Proietto

                                               15/16 November

                            HOFESH SHECHTER COMPANY PRESENTS

                                  SHOW The entrance. Clowns. Exit

                           Chorepgraphy & Music: Hofesh Shechter

                                   Performed: Hofesh Shechter II

                   RUSTAVELI STATE ACADEMIC DRAMA THEATRE

                                   14/15 November, Royal District Theatre

                                                      STATE

                     GIFT FESTIVAL NORWEGIAN CULTURE FOCUS

In association with Performing Arts Hub Norway (PAHN) & Norwegian Art Council (Kulturradet)

       Norwegian Artist Research program DTS: Danse og Teatersentrum

                    Present a synergy of young Norwegian Talent

                       Concept and Choreography: Ingri Fiksdal


               Concept and Dramaturgy: Jonas Corell Petersen

                      Musical Composer: Lasse Marhaug


                       Costume design: Henrik Vibskov


Check out here the GIFT Festival blog for more details about the programme and their activities