Watch The Trader

The Trader (Sovdagari) is a critically acclaimed documentary film directed and produced by Tamta Gabrichidze. The movie was released in 2018, and it tells the story of a trader who travels to rural areas of Georgia to buy and sell goods. The movie's protagonist is Gela, a middle-aged trader who lives in the capital city of Tbilisi. Gela's business involves traveling to remote areas of Georgia to buy and sell goods, mostly food items. He brings goods from the city to the countryside and exchanges them for items that he can sell in Tbilisi.

The Trader (Sovdagari) focuses on Gela's daily routine, his interactions with the people he meets in the rural areas, and his struggles to make a living. The movie is shot entirely in black and white and has a nostalgic feel to it. The pacing is slow, but it matches the tranquil rhythm of Gela's life.

Throughout the movie, we see Gela bartering with the locals. He exchanges cooking oil for potatoes, candy for honey, and shoes for eggs. Gela is a shrewd trader and knows how to get the best deal possible for the goods he is buying. He seems to be always on the lookout for a bargain.

However, the movie is more than just a glimpse into the trading practices of rural Georgia. It also highlights the socio-economic issues affecting the country. The rural areas of Georgia are shown to be poor and underdeveloped. The people living there struggle to make a living and rely on the bartering system to acquire the goods they need.

One of the most striking scenes in the movie is when Gela visits a village where the only form of entertainment is a small TV. The TV has no reception, so the villagers watch the same movie over and over again. Gela takes the TV with him and tells them that he will try to fix it. The scene is a poignant reminder of the lack of access to technology in rural areas.

The Trader (Sovdagari) also gives us a glimpse into the lives of the people living in these rural areas. They are shown to be friendly, hospitable, and hardworking. They open their homes to Gela and treat him with kindness and respect. Gela, in turn, is shown to be appreciative of their generosity and willing to help them in any way he can.

Throughout the movie, Gela develops a close relationship with a group of elderly women he meets in a village. They are impressed by his trading skills and invite him to their homes for meals. Gela seems to enjoy their company and is shown to be genuinely interested in their lives. The scenes with the elderly women are some of the most heartwarming in the movie.

Overall, The Trader (Sovdagari) is a beautifully shot, melancholic and thought-provoking documentary that shines the spotlight on the lives of the rural people of Georgia. The movie is a testament to the power of human connection and the resilience of the human spirit. By the end of the movie, we can't help but feel a sense of admiration for Gela and the people he meets on his travels. They are a reminder of the beauty of simplicity and the importance of community.

The Trader is a 2018 documentary with a runtime of 23 minutes.