When the Earth Seems to Be Light

A group of misfit skaters search for their place in Georgian society by roaming the streets of Tbilisi on their boards, bored of being discounted and misjudged. A film that uses place as character, this portrait of a darkly beautiful yet confining city shows how these young Georgians perceive their environment. Their parents' past is all around them—in a dinosaur park at night, reflected in religious monuments—and this new generation is only too happy to roll over and mess with it. Their actions aren't a display of irreverence, though, but an effort to interact with their home and culture. These kids are seekers who engage and disengage with Soviet history, who move beyond, under and outside of the dominant conservative politics. It's a rare glimpse into the mindset of young people as they come to terms with what's important, what's real, what they want and how to get it. (Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival)