Watch a powerful portrait of the courageous fight for queer rights in Georgia in Think Freedom: The Visible Man. Sadly, in September 2024, the Georgian authorities imposed sweeping restrictions on LGBTIQA+ rights, outlawing Pride events, banning public displays of the LGBTIQA+ rainbow flag, and imposing censorship on films and books, among other measures. Although the documentary was filmed some time ago, it is now more important than ever to shed light on queer activism in Georgia.
Giorgi Tabagari's journey into activism began with a protest outside Georgia’s parliament in 2012, which led him to co-found Tbilisi Pride, where he served as its first director for three years. His courage and determination to champion LGBTQ+ rights in conservative Georgia, despite threats, hate campaigns, homophobia and physical attacks, are both humbling and admirable. In 2023, tensions reached a boiling point when a violent mob of over 2,000 pro-Russian nationalists attacked Tbilisi Pride, forcing its cancellation. The situation further deteriorated in 2024 with the adoption of the Russian-designed "foreign agents" law and the "anti-LGBTIQA+" law.
The film premiered in 2024 at EuroPride in Thessaloniki, Greece, and at the Sofia Pride Film Festival in Bulgaria. The documentary is part of the Think Freedom series by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom for East and Southeast Europe. It embodies the core liberal principles of freedom, choice, and responsibility, with an overarching theme of the main character’s self-determination to pursue freedom despite the shrinking democratic space. Anna Stoeva directed the film, while Tanuki Films, an award-winning boutique production team specializing in documentary filmmaking, journalism and interactive storytelling, produced it.
“One of the really interesting details in Giorgi’s fight while we were filming were the tensions within the queer community in Georgia. This effort to find the balance between how much risk you are willing to take - and to impose on the whole community - in order to be able to live out your identity, who you are. Who decides how much risk is justified when this is a decision that is likely to affect the whole community, even people who don't agree with you, who maybe would have preferred to remain hidden and not take the risks necessary to change society? How does it feel to be among the people making these decisions - and also understanding that without making such decisions, change is not going to happen?”
– Anna Stoeva –
Film Director, Tanuki Films, Bulgaria
Click for the English subtitles.
Tolerance for diversity