Late afternoon light spilled across the lawn of Château Mukhrani as guests settled into beanbags and picnic blankets, glasses of amber wine catching the glow of the setting sun. The low hum of conversation gave way to silence as the first flickering images of Holy Electricity pulsed to life on the screen. This surrealist fable would go on to win Best Feature Film for exploring issues of friendship, gender, and faith as the main characters sought to earn a meager living hustling neon crosses in Georgia’s shadowy suburbs.
It was the first night of the second annual WineCast Festival, held from August 20 to 24, 2025, and the tone was unmistakable: bold, irreverent, and unmistakably spirited—just like Georgians.
When I arrived in Tbilisi, Georgia, to judge wines at the festival, I expected a charming cultural gathering. What I found was something far more ambitious: a festival reimagining how we experience cinema and wine together. For five days, WineCast turned Georgia—the cradle of wine and an emerging force in film—into a stage for global creativity, collaboration, and celebration.
Conceived by award-winning filmmaker Tamta Gabrichidze and wine and hospitality expert Rusudan Tchumbadze, WineCast blends two of Georgia’s proudest exports: cinema and viticulture. As Gabrichidze explained, the idea from the start “wasn’t to create just a film festival or just a wine festival, but one that brings both together.”
From Pilot to Premiere
WineCast debuted in 2023 at the Tsinandali Estate in the Kakheti wine region. That first year, it was more of an experiment—a pilot run without juried competitions. Yet the response was immediate: over 1,000 guests attended, and support poured in from the U.S. Embassy, Wine Agency, Tourism Agency, and other major partners.
“We called our first year the ‘pilot edition,'” said Tchumbadze. “To our surprise, it received overwhelming support from both local and international partners.”
For 2025, WineCast relocated to Tbilisi and the historic Château Mukhrani, to combine urban buzz with vineyard vibes. This year’s festival introduced three formal film competition categories—shorts, features, and wine/culinary-themed cinema—plus a blind-tasted wine competition judged by sommeliers and industry experts, myself included.
The Films
WineCast received over 1,000 submissions from 96 countries, competing across three juried sections: shorts, features, and wine and culinary-themed films. According to Gabrichidze, what struck the team and jurors the most was “how socially engaged the films were,” she said. “Our festival is for people—it’s about life as it’s happening right now—and we wanted to showcase stories unfolding across the globe today.”
The feature competition focused exclusively on Georgian films this year. Gabrichidze said this was intentional. “It allowed us to highlight the new generation of Georgian cinema—films that are socially conscious, full of humor, and incredibly real.”
Opening night paid tribute to late Georgian director Eldar Shengelaia with a screening of An Unusual Exhibition (1968), a tragi-comedy about a sculptor whose postwar dreams of creating art are slowly replaced by carving gravestones. Just days before the festival, Shengelaia passed away at 92, and screening his film became a deliberate, emotional tribute.
“Opening with this film was our heartfelt tribute to his remarkable life and enduring influence on Georgian cinema,” the founders shared.
The closing film, Commotion, was no less meaningful. Screened on its 50th anniversary and introduced by its creator, Lana Gogoberidze, it offered a colorful portrait of Kakhetian life, steeped in folk culture, art, and glorious chaos. Gogoberidze was honored with a lifetime achievement award.
Tato Kotetishvili’s Holy Electricity took home Best Feature Film for its surreal and emotionally layered portrayal of friendship and survival on the fringes of Georgian society.
Jury member Valerio Caruso called it “full of tenderness and absurdity in equal measure,” praising its ability to reflect the spirit of contemporary Georgia with both humor and depth.
The Wines
The wine side of the festival was equally dynamic. Around 70 wineries applied, with 30 selected after a rigorous blind tasting process led by head sommelier Jaba Dzimistarishvili. “Every winery knew their wines had to pass this first round to be part of the festival,” said Tchumbadze. “Quality is truly at the heart of our selection.”
There were no restrictions on who could apply. “We didn’t want to limit participation only to big producers, family wineries, organic wines, or experimental projects. For us, everyone deserves a chance,” she said.
What excited the founders most, however was the number of women winemakers who entered the competition. “Since we are a women-driven team ourselves, it was especially meaningful to see so many applications and wines from women,” said Tchumbadze.
Winners of WineCast 2024
- Best Feature Film: Holy Electricity – Tato Kotetishvili, Georgia
- Best Short Film: The Flower by the Road – Giorgi Parkosadze, Georgia
- Jury Special Mention: Shirin’s Bitter Tears – Amin Fallah, Iran
- Best Wine & Culinary Film: The Hills of Wrath – Léo Boudet, France
- Honorary Award for Contribution to Georgian Cinema: Lana Gogoberidze
- Best White Classic Wine: Naberauli – Tsolikouri 2023
- Best Amber Qvevri Wine: Askaneli – Dora 2022
- Best Red Dry Wine: First Winery – Saperavi 2022
- Best Dessert Wine: Château Svanidze – Kindzmarauli 2022
- Honorary Award for Contribution to Georgian Wine: David Maisuradze
Festival as Cultural Catalyst
WineCast isn’t just a series of screenings and tastings; it’s a laboratory for connection. Masterclasses, panel discussions, and pitch competitions were designed to bring filmmakers and winemakers into direct dialogue. “WineCast is not only about wine—it’s also about film, music, and atmosphere,” said Tchumbadze. “That makes the audience very diverse… it creates a completely different energy.”
Every evening, filmmakers, wine producers, and guests gathered at Château Mukhrani for tastings paired with films. After a French wine documentary, we sampled wines from the region. After a Georgian short film, the winemaker stood next to the director, glasses in hand. It was a kind of living cinema.
Georgia’s New Creative Frontier
“Georgia is a truly unique country for filmmaking,” said Gabrichidze. “You can start a scene by the sea, continue in deserts, forests, or historical sites, and finish in the mountains—everything is here.”
The country’s deep-rooted wine culture and growing film industry give WineCast a foundation few other festivals can match. “Shooting in Georgia is also much more cost-effective than in most European or American countries,” she added. “And for wine-related films, Georgia is truly a paradise.”
WineCast is already inspiring filmmakers to shoot locally and return to show their films at the festival. As Gabrichidze put it, “You can come and shoot in Georgia, and our production company Mulberry Group will be there to support you every step of the way. Then, you can premiere your film at WineCast and celebrate your journey with the very best wines in hand.”
The Road Ahead
Looking ahead, the festival will move to another region next year, staying true to its vision of a roving celebration. “One of our main ideas was for the festival to travel from one Georgian region to another,” said Tchumbadze. “The next edition will definitely be at a chateau, vineyard, or another wine-related place.”
There are also plans to expand internationally. “We’ve already started discussions with partners in Europe and the U.S. from both the film and wine worlds,” she confirmed. “WineCast 2026 will be bigger—with more educational activities, more films, more wine categories, and more international guests.”
But they don’t just wish to grow—they want to do so in style. Laughing at my reference to WineCast as the “Cannes of the East,” Gabrichidze said, “To tell you the truth, our ambition is to become one of the most fun, stylish, and prestigious festivals in the world. We know it takes time to build that kind of reputation, but we’re ready to do everything possible to make it happen sooner than anyone would expect.”
And if that sounds like a cheeky bid for the title of Cannes of the East? Well, they’re already halfway there.
Final Thoughts
As one of the judges, I came to taste and evaluate wines. But I left having witnessed the birth of something much larger: a cultural movement. WineCast is building not just a festival, but a new kind of artistic community.
As the founders said best in their closing message, “We feel so lucky, because everyone who touches WineCast seems to carry it close to their soul, treating it with such warmth and care. That is something we once only dreamed of, and now it feels real—and it means everything to us.”
WineCast isn’t just where wine meets film. It’s where stories ferment, friendships decant, and culture is poured generously, glass after glass.