Using art to negotiate Georgian sexual nationalism: an example of the film “And Then We Danced” (2019)

Abstract

This thesis studies the role of art in negotiating Georgian sexual nationalism. Although Georgian nationalism has been studied from linguistic, religious, ethnic and civic perspectives, no study has explicitly focused on its sexual component. Under the aegis of queer theory, this thesis returns to this dimension through an artistic medium: the first Georgian LGBT dance film, “And Then We Danced” (2019), directed by Levan Akin. The paper examines how art is mobilised to negotiate sexual nationalism in Georgia. This study is based on semi-structured interviews conducted with two actors of the film and a sample mix of queer and heterosexual Georgian spectators. Secondary sources concerning Levan Akin were additionally used. This analysis shows that artistic mediums are important tools that can be - and are - mobilised in negotiating Georgian sexual nationalism. It exposes a crystallisation of two different sets of signifiers of Georgia understood as an “imagined sexual community” around Georgian dances: civic and inclusive or traditional and exclusive of queer Georgians. This debate also has geopolitical ramifications regarding Georgia's place between the European Union and Russia. It also shows an inclusion will of varying effects that can be both thanked and criticised by parts of the Georgian LGBT community. This thesis allows a precise questioning of the potential for inclusiveness of queer people as members of the Georgian nation. This dissertation, therefore, contributes to queer, gender, nationalism, and cultural literature in Georgia.