Merab (a thrilling performance from first-time actor Levan Gelbakhiani) lives with his mother, grandmother and wayward elder brother in a cramped apartment in Tbilisi. Having trained at the National Georgian Ensemble from a young age, he is drilled in discipline and restraint, characteristics needed to fulfil his dancing ambitions. When Irakli (Bachi Valishvili, an utterly magnetic presence) joins the troupe, it provokes a rivalry that stirs repressed emotions in Merab. Vividly depicting the contrasting conservativism and dynamism of traditional Georgian dance, Levan Akin’s sensuous, vibrant drama boldly probes notions of nationalism, machismo and desire. MH