Tbilisi, March 31, 2023 - The unveiling of the social enterprise Fantasmagoria, backed by the EU and CSRDG, along with the exclusive premiere of the enterprise's debut puppet animation "Elene Dariani," took place at the Amirani Cinema.

The event hosted about 450 representatives of various sectors. Attendees had the opportunity to familiarize with the objectives of the social enterprise, view the puppet sets crafted for the film, and, in an exclusive premiere format, witness the groundbreaking stop-motion animation "Elene Dariani," which will be seen by a wide audience at international festivals.

"Elene Dariani" revives the poetic love story of 20th century Tbilisi, which the Fantasmagoria team worked on for 1.5 years. "We are delighted that the film has embarked on its festival journey, with its world premiere slated for the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our supporters for making this opportunity possible," remarked the founders of Fantasmagoria during the event's inauguration.

"We are pleased that, with the support of the European Union, we promote the strengthening of "Fantasmagoria", which expands the creative boundaries with a mixture of the forgotten field of art and modern technologies, promotes the popularization of puppet animation in Georgia, and at the same time, takes care of nurtures the professional growth of aspiring youth in the field," stated CSRDG Social Entrepreneurship Development program coordinator Eka Datuashvili.

The social enterprise "Fantasmagoria" was founded in 2022 by the director of the feature film Sofo Chincharauli and the director of the animated film Elene Tavadze, within the framework of the support of the youth social entrepreneurship projects of the Tbilisi City Hall. 

In 2023, with the backing of the EU and CSRDG, under the “Advancing Social Entrepreneurship for Sustainable and Inclusive Society” project, Fantasmagoria was equipped with equipment corresponding to modern standards. As a result of this equipment, the film "Elene Dariani" is a new word in Georgian puppet animation.

Fantasmagoria's objective is to revive Georgia's cultural heritage of puppet animation using contemporary methodologies and position it on the global stage. The enterprise's mission is to promote stop-motion puppet animation in the country through animation production and educational activities. The enterprise has already trained 11 young professionals who will share their knowledge and experience with the next generation on the basis of Phantasmagoria.

Puppet animation "Elene Darian" was created with the financial support of the European Union, Tbilisi City Hall, The Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia (CSRDG), Silk Factor Studio, Women's Foundation and Tbilisi UNESCO Media Arts City Program.

About the European Union

For more than 30 years, the European Union has built a close partnership with Georgia, supporting its development through knowledge and experience sharing, expertise, innovation and financial support. The relationship between the EU and Georgia is based on shared values of peace, freedom, democracy, human rights and inclusive economic growth. More about the EU’s support in Georgia https://eu4georgia.eu/the-european-union-in-georgia/

About the Project

The social enterprise "Fantasmagoria" is supported within the project "Advancing Social Entrepreneurship for Sustainable and Inclusive Society," funded by the EU and Bread for the World. The project is implemented by CSRDG in collaboration with partner organizations and aims to foster a conducive environment for the growth of social entrepreneurship within the country. By nurturing the social entrepreneurship ecosystem, the project endeavors to address various socio-economic challenges, enhance the quality and longevity of social services, breathe life into remote areas, expand access to education, preserve traditional cultural heritage, and tackle environmental issues.