Categories
Journalistic Survey
Articles
Reportage
Analitic
Photo Reportage
Exclusive
Interview
Foreign Media about Georgia
Editorial
Position
Reader's opinion
Blog
Themes
Children's Rights
Women's Rights
Justice
Refugees/IDPs
Minorities
Media
Army
Health
Corruption
Elections
Education
Penitentiary
Religion
Others

Georgian Participants of Hollywood Film Are Not Paid

May 10, 2010
Saba Tsitsikashvili, Gori

Early in October of 2009, there was simulated fire in Gori center. Burning tires, exploded cars, simulated dead people were scattered in the streets; people with red paints on their faces were running in front of the Stalin Statue; there were wounded soldiers and scared people . Real tanks and helicopters were moving around… The city, who endured the war once, saw the same again because Hollywood works on a film about the war in August of 2008. Andy Garcia stars in the film in the role of President Mikheil Saakashvili. The filming process damaged both environment and people’s health who were not warned about it in advance.

The Human Rights Center was reported that organizers and producers of the film did not pay any honoraries to the local participants. Besides that, they did not pay rent to the flat-owners where both Georgian and foreign actors lived. These people still wait for the payment. Some of them have lost hope and do not believe they would be paid for the participation in the film which has budget of 40 million USD.

Gori resident Lili Patakov said that producers still lie 5 months after the filming finished in Georgia.

“My grandchild took part in the movie. Initially they promised to pay. Besides that, they were renting our flat but they left without paying rent and honoraries to the participants. We found the flat in such a mess after their departure that it took a long to clean everything. We called them several times on the number they left but in vain. We were called the day before yesterday and told to come to the Public School # 3 where we could get the money. Today, we went to the school but there was nobody there; neither school administration has any information. Actually, the film-crew had the HQ in the school building. We do not know what to do. Similar situation is insulting and degrading for us,” said Lili Patakov.

The Human Rights Center was informed that other people are also in similar situation. Among them is the family of Pankvelashvilis. The Shida Kartli regional administration also has information about it.

We tried to get in touch with the producer of the film whose mobile phone has automatic respond on. We asked Mr. Nick (the regional officials did not tell us his surname) to get in touch with us after receiving our message.

We explained to him the purpose of our calling; however, we received no reply or comments yet.

News