Magdana's Donkey

Magdana's Donkey
Magdana's Donkey
Directed by	Rezo Chkheidze, Tengiz Abuladze
Screenplay by	Carlo Gogodze
Story by	Ekaterine Gabashvili
Starring	Dudukhana Tserodze
Cinematography	Alexander Digmelov
Edited by	Vasil Dolenko
Music by	Archil Kereselidze
Production; company	Kartuli filmi
Release date	1955;
Running time	67 minutes
Country	Soviet Union
Languages	Georgian, Russian

Magdana's Donkey (Georgian: მაგდანას ლურჯა, Russian: Лурджа Магданы, romanized: Lurja magdani) is a 1955 Soviet-Georgian black-and-white social-themed drama film co-directed by Revaz Chkheidze and Tengiz Abuladze based on a short story of the same name by Ekaterine Gabashvili.

Plot

In a small Georgian village at the beginning of the 20th century, Magdana Sesiashvili, a widow, struggles to support her three children, Sopo, Mikho, and Kato, by selling yogurt in the city. One day, the children discover a sick, abandoned donkey on the road and, nursing it back to health, they name it Lurja (meaning "Blue-eyed"). With Lurja's help, the family's fortunes begin to improve as the donkey becomes an invaluable assistant in their small business.

However, their newfound happiness is short-lived. The donkey's former owner, a wealthy coal merchant named Mitu, recognizes it in the city and decides he wants it back. Mitu, having abandoned the donkey earlier, bribes the court, and through this underhanded tactic, he forces Magdana to surrender Lurja, taking away the family's source of hope and assistance.

Production

This film was the debut feature of Tengiz Abuladze and Revaz Chkheidze. Magdana's Donkey was acclaimed as the start of a “new wave” in Soviet cinema.^[1]

The leading role (Magdana) was played by Georgian actress Dudukhana Tserodze.^[2] The film won the Best Fiction Short award at the 1956 Cannes Film Festival.^[3]