The Legend of Suram Fortress

Codirected by Dodo Abashidze and Sergei Paradjanov, this film is based on a legend from the Caucasus Mountains that tells of the Georgian people’s repeated efforts to construct a fortress amid threats of invasion. The structure continues to collapse until a fortune teller recalls a fateful prophecy. At once simple and marvelous, the story unfolds in a circular manner, while its mythic possibilities are realized in the film’s jewel-like colors and decor.