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Sovexport Film presents
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Filmstudio "Georgia Film", USSR.
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00:00:03,141 --> 00:00:08,017
Script and direction: Irakli Kvirikadze
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00:00:08,236 --> 00:00:11,153
Camera: Guram Tugushi
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00:00:11,378 --> 00:00:15,337
Production design: Aleksandr Dzhanshiyev
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00:00:15,545 --> 00:00:19,434
Musical score: Teimuraz Bakuradze
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00:00:19,663 --> 00:00:23,483
Sound: Madonna Tevzadze
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00:00:53,286 --> 00:00:56,411
In Batumi it rained constantly.
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00:00:57,495 --> 00:01:00,244
One night, at our shooting location,
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this man with an umbrella turned up.
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He called himself Anton
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00:01:06,133 --> 00:01:09,758
and told us he was the grandson
of Durmischan Dumbadze,
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the man we made the film about.
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Show me my grandfather, he asked.
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Here he is.
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The legendary swimmer
Durmischan Dumbadze.
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THE SWIMMER
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We're shooting the scene where
Durmischan leaves Batumi
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as he could not withstand
the ridicule of the townspeople
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Our hero is a real man,
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00:01:52,183 --> 00:01:54,961
who lived in the beginning
of the century
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but who has been forgotten since.
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00:02:28,364 --> 00:02:31,350
It poured from morning until evening.
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00:02:31,822 --> 00:02:36,753
We were waiting for the rain
to stop for a few minutes.
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00:03:23,392 --> 00:03:28,447
22 short stories from the lives
of 3 swimmers.
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00:03:42,830 --> 00:03:47,205
Anton carried with him the photo album
of his family
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and many stories to be told.
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00:03:51,607 --> 00:03:57,427
He told us the chronicles of his family,
the Dumbadzes.
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00:04:15,744 --> 00:04:19,730
Durmischan did not live
far from Batumi.
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He was poor
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and made a living
from his three buffaloes.
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During the rain period
the river was flooded
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and the buffaloes were driven
far out to the open sea.
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00:04:36,181 --> 00:04:40,375
Durmischan found them and brought them
back to the shore.
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00:04:49,048 --> 00:04:54,159
He could dwell in the water
for several days in a row.
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00:05:08,909 --> 00:05:13,645
The times were hard
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so Dumischan walked to Batumi
in search of work.
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00:05:16,228 --> 00:05:18,492
Batumi 1913
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00:06:01,423 --> 00:06:04,687
He started to work as a diver
in the harbour of Batumi.
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00:06:05,409 --> 00:06:13,409
He cleansed the hulls
which were overgrown with shells.
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00:06:23,590 --> 00:06:28,021
He was a man who liked to enjoy himself.
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00:06:28,423 --> 00:06:31,854
He liked to put his endurance on display
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in all strange ways.
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One time he dived with the turtles
in an aquarium
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at the Zoological Garden of Batumi.
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00:06:45,705 --> 00:06:51,316
He wanted to prove that he could
be under water for six minutes.
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00:06:51,927 --> 00:06:54,733
"It is impossible", he was told
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00:06:54,983 --> 00:06:57,383
by representatives from the Caucassus
and Mercury Sport Club.
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00:07:08,018 --> 00:07:13,601
The president of the Sport Club,
Givi Gogoberidze
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00:07:13,907 --> 00:07:18,462
turned on his timer.
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00:07:18,740 --> 00:07:20,660
Durmischan lay on the bottom
letting out bubbles.
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00:07:44,935 --> 00:07:46,462
Strange!
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The second hand is already
on the sixth turn.
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00:07:56,569 --> 00:07:57,877
Six minutes.
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00:07:58,392 --> 00:08:02,137
An unofficial record
in being underwater.
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00:08:02,666 --> 00:08:07,364
Gogoberidze couldn't believe his eyes.
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00:09:16,702 --> 00:09:20,625
To Batumi came the famous
English swimmer Tomas Winston.
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00:09:20,868 --> 00:09:23,328
Who had swum across the English canal.
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00:09:35,084 --> 00:09:37,763
Here he is. Tomas Winston.
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00:09:38,381 --> 00:09:43,145
The swimming over the English canal
was a world sensation at the time.
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00:09:46,453 --> 00:09:50,874
Tomas Winston and his lovely wife
Franceska Koti,
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silent film actress
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00:09:55,594 --> 00:10:00,203
All their public appearances
were documented,
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by a cameraman who accompanied them
on their tour.
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In the background stands Durmischan,
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who at the time had been promoted
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to chief of the diving squad
in the Batumi harbour.
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00:10:24,557 --> 00:10:28,092
2 July 1913.
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00:10:28,474 --> 00:10:31,876
In the newspaper The Echo of Batumi
one could read
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that during the banquet
in honour of Tomas Winston,
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Durmischan, who already had started to
make a reputation, stood up and said
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00:10:46,984 --> 00:10:49,521
"I can swim across two English canals."
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00:10:51,187 --> 00:10:54,467
The words were translated
to the Englishman,
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00:10:54,788 --> 00:10:56,428
who laughed.
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00:11:05,464 --> 00:11:09,320
"He doesn't know what marathon swimming
is about."
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00:11:09,623 --> 00:11:17,190
"He will freeze",
Tomas Winston continued.
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"He will freeze and sink
to the bottom of the sea".
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00:11:22,308 --> 00:11:26,629
The champ was a happy man
and his cheerfulness was infectious.
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Dumischan understood
that he was made fun of.
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"I will swim right now!"
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00:11:34,264 --> 00:11:39,726
"I'll jump from the quay
and I'll get up in the city of Poti!"
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00:15:47,625 --> 00:15:51,465
In the morning paper Tomas Winston
could read a short news item,
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reminding of yesterday's little incident
on the quay.
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00:15:58,451 --> 00:16:02,506
But more important was the publicity
made for Winstons company.
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00:16:02,858 --> 00:16:08,564
The champion was also
a clever businessman.
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Tomas Winston visiting
the Batumi oil producer Rotschild.
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Franceska Koti charms everyone
with her movie star smile.
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00:18:14,478 --> 00:18:17,625
An honouring visit to Teo Kekelidze,
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manager of the Batumi department
of the central bank.
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Trade agreements are being signed.
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00:19:18,997 --> 00:19:20,903
Durmischan was forgotten.
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00:19:21,374 --> 00:19:27,385
At one point the Englishman asked
about the man on the quay.
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Nobody knew about him.
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00:19:42,230 --> 00:19:46,119
POTI. ENTRANCE TO THE CITY. CITY TOLL.
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00:19:48,712 --> 00:19:50,552
The morning of the third day.
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00:21:14,322 --> 00:21:16,837
Dressed in the undershirt
of one of the soldiers,
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he returned home.
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00:21:20,987 --> 00:21:24,566
The way he was dressed
he did not dare to enter the city.
99
00:22:53,993 --> 00:23:00,620
A monk carried honey from the monastery
to be sold in Batumi.
100
00:23:29,481 --> 00:23:35,652
The monk gave him honey and wine
and dressed him in his robe.
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00:24:36,899 --> 00:24:39,791
"Tell him that I have swum to Poti!"
102
00:24:47,506 --> 00:24:49,977
"It is not true! You are lying!"
103
00:24:50,343 --> 00:24:52,780
"We have investigated the matter."
104
00:24:52,933 --> 00:24:55,780
"People saw how you got up
on the shore of Chakva."
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00:24:56,013 --> 00:24:58,351
"And Chakva is not the English canal".
106
00:25:09,196 --> 00:25:11,246
I couldn't prove anything.
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00:25:12,237 --> 00:25:14,531
The whole city was laughing at me.
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00:25:14,963 --> 00:25:17,312
And I left Batumi.
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He returned the keys to the landlady
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and went to the country.
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Durmischan often went down to the sea.
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00:26:41,330 --> 00:26:43,767
At one time, not far from the shore,
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00:26:43,942 --> 00:26:48,717
he discovered a sunken ship
full of amphoras.
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"It is wine!"
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00:29:20,558 --> 00:29:24,004
It reminds of Isabella
but it is sweeter.
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00:29:48,070 --> 00:29:53,100
Durmischan brought up 1 000 year old
wines from his wine cellar.
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00:29:58,968 --> 00:30:00,860
Maybe the wine had belonged
to the Argonauts,
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00:30:00,992 --> 00:30:06,112
who had came sailing to Kolchida,
searching for the golden fleece.
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00:30:33,501 --> 00:30:36,847
At odds with the world
Durmischan drank in solitude.
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00:30:46,121 --> 00:30:50,598
He did not know that the world
was changing rapidly at the time.
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00:31:04,443 --> 00:31:09,706
One day he was called to
the sport commissariat.
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"We are arranging
a marathon swimming contest."
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"Do you want to swim?"
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"Of course!"
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"You will be the first red champion."
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"Swim!"
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He prepared for the competition.
128
00:32:08,802 --> 00:32:11,351
But a terrible fatigue
paralyzed his muscles.
129
00:32:12,470 --> 00:32:18,187
Durmischan understood he wouldn't be able
to swim the 60 kilometres.
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00:32:37,051 --> 00:32:41,294
The Greek Star picked him up half dead
out on the open sea.
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Durmischan got drunk.
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Wandering the hills he entered a tunnel.
133
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He was run over by the train...
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The second episode
takes place in the 1940's
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and we dedicate it to Domentii,
the son of Durmischan.
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00:36:18,205 --> 00:36:22,515
Domentii liked challenges
where he could show off his strength.
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00:36:25,626 --> 00:36:29,836
One time he locked himself up inside
the Batumi slaughterhouse's coldroom.
138
00:36:34,619 --> 00:36:37,711
And in order to not freeze to death
in the -20�C cold,
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00:36:37,940 --> 00:36:40,921
he carried pigs all the night.
140
00:37:13,324 --> 00:37:15,197
He won this bet.
141
00:37:26,262 --> 00:37:29,109
Domentii worked as an instructor
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for the organization for mass swimming.
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The gay 40's.
144
00:37:59,617 --> 00:38:01,855
The war had just ended.
145
00:38:03,944 --> 00:38:06,060
Everywhere brass bands were playing.
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Mass swimming was very popular.
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00:38:12,589 --> 00:38:15,182
The organizer of these events
was my father,
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Domenii Dumbadze.
149
00:41:32,059 --> 00:41:36,037
The director of the sport committee
makes a speech.
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00:41:37,982 --> 00:41:41,904
"Mass swimming has become
a popular sport."
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00:41:42,475 --> 00:41:50,395
"In swimming
certain abilities are trained,"
152
00:41:50,625 --> 00:41:56,254
"that are required in labour
and in defending our country."
153
00:42:08,033 --> 00:42:11,590
"And now we welcome our guest,"
154
00:42:11,845 --> 00:42:13,607
"Odisei Meschi."
155
00:42:13,762 --> 00:42:17,859
"Marathon swimming champion of 1941."
156
00:42:20,601 --> 00:42:26,374
"His record has not been beaten
by anyone."
157
00:42:46,655 --> 00:42:51,729
"Our guest hands over the trophy
to the contesters."
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And that was how Odisei Meschi
entered the lives of our family.
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00:43:22,758 --> 00:43:25,805
Our father invited Odisei to a banquet.
160
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The invitation was accepted.
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When I remember this evening
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I see a mirror,
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in which the happy faces
around the table are reflected.
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00:44:09,948 --> 00:44:15,389
Odisei stealthily watches Lala,
my fathers sister.
165
00:44:45,110 --> 00:44:50,174
Beso Antadze, the artist,
is secretly in love with Lala.
166
00:45:34,447 --> 00:45:39,699
Next morning my father told Odisei
about his dream,
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to swim from Batumi to Poti.
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00:45:44,569 --> 00:45:47,693
The blood of my ancestors
was flowing in my fathers veins.
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00:46:04,047 --> 00:46:07,027
The summer before the war
he prepared for the start.
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00:46:07,249 --> 00:46:09,786
But a week before the start
the war broke out.
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"I am ready to swim now as well,
but Isidor says,"
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'You came back from the front
with a contusion, it is too dangerous!'
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"But I am strong as a bull!"
174
00:46:47,479 --> 00:46:50,925
"I can be underwater for six minutes!"
175
00:46:51,224 --> 00:46:52,222
"it is impossible."
176
00:46:52,632 --> 00:46:53,651
"You wanna bet?"
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00:46:54,069 --> 00:46:57,659
"If I'll do it, will you help me
to organize the swimming?"
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00:47:18,812 --> 00:47:20,463
"Start the timer!"
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00:47:33,332 --> 00:47:36,144
Odisei watched the second hand,
180
00:47:36,728 --> 00:47:38,756
and the beautiful profile of Lala.
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I visited the old building
of the sport committee.
182
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It is all desolate.
183
00:48:22,519 --> 00:48:27,513
Only the frescoes
reminds of the turbulent years.
184
00:48:35,405 --> 00:48:41,477
Odisei managed to get permission
for a trial race.
185
00:48:42,400 --> 00:48:47,419
"If Domentii makes 15 km
with a good result,"
186
00:48:47,718 --> 00:48:50,322
"then he'll have the permission
to swim the long distance swim."
187
00:49:33,642 --> 00:49:37,886
The trial course Batumi-
Zeliolni Mis and back.
188
00:51:07,041 --> 00:51:08,947
My father made it in excellent time,
189
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Six hours and 40 minutes.
190
00:51:58,343 --> 00:52:01,324
He got his permission
to swim Batumi-Poti.
191
00:52:02,881 --> 00:52:05,684
From that day on
Domentii did not get up from the water.
192
00:52:50,813 --> 00:52:56,667
Odisei Meschi took interest
in Domentiis swimming,
193
00:52:57,786 --> 00:53:02,306
as well as in Lala.
194
00:54:37,150 --> 00:54:39,222
"And dad just swum?"
195
00:54:40,496 --> 00:54:41,726
"Yes."
196
00:54:42,601 --> 00:54:44,396
"And he had no clue?"
197
00:54:46,859 --> 00:54:47,856
"No."
198
00:54:50,000 --> 00:54:53,058
Domentii was proud of being friends
with the great swimmer.
199
00:54:55,020 --> 00:54:57,624
Odisei prepared him for the long swim.
200
00:55:00,432 --> 00:55:02,360
"Is this the aquarium?"
201
00:55:15,691 --> 00:55:17,419
So many years have passed,
202
00:55:17,696 --> 00:55:20,810
and yet is is as if nothing has changed
here on the veranda.
203
00:55:31,591 --> 00:55:33,375
A shell thrown in the water.
204
00:55:34,367 --> 00:55:35,319
It is strange,
205
00:55:35,685 --> 00:55:38,555
that such a silly thing would become
so ominous in my father's life.
206
00:55:51,439 --> 00:55:53,333
I remember that day in smallest detail.
207
00:55:54,696 --> 00:55:56,680
On the veranda they were playing lotto.
208
00:55:57,362 --> 00:55:58,747
Father was resting.
209
00:55:59,440 --> 00:56:01,800
In two days he was going to swim.
210
00:57:06,111 --> 00:57:08,139
Odisei walked up to the aquarium,
211
00:57:08,893 --> 00:57:11,109
took a porcelain elephant,
212
00:57:19,197 --> 00:57:21,591
and dropped it in the water.
213
00:57:25,374 --> 00:57:29,729
He created the rules of the game
for us children.
214
00:57:30,598 --> 00:57:34,853
Mimicking him we started to throw
different figurines into the water.
215
00:58:58,780 --> 00:59:01,129
At the time I didn't understand
what was happening,
216
00:59:01,262 --> 00:59:03,489
to the director of the sport committee
217
00:59:03,832 --> 00:59:06,270
or why dad went so pale.
218
01:01:15,142 --> 01:01:20,660
MARATHON SWIMMING BATUMI-POTI
219
01:01:27,906 --> 01:01:30,588
Domentii did not turn up.
220
01:01:31,491 --> 01:01:33,596
He had disappeared.
221
01:01:37,086 --> 01:01:40,443
"We have to cancel the race."
222
01:01:41,363 --> 01:01:43,823
"It is irresponsible on his behalf!"
223
01:01:57,722 --> 01:01:59,694
"You should know where he is!"
224
01:02:00,547 --> 01:02:03,340
"Why should I know?"
225
01:03:05,413 --> 01:03:07,308
In our family album,
226
01:03:07,441 --> 01:03:09,768
there were plenty photos of that kind.
227
01:03:19,309 --> 01:03:21,392
Odisei did not leave Batumi alone.
228
01:03:21,747 --> 01:03:24,561
He brought with him Lala
on a wedding trip.
229
01:03:42,687 --> 01:03:45,668
Nobody knew what this man had done,
230
01:03:46,731 --> 01:03:48,504
in order to remain
231
01:03:48,803 --> 01:03:51,208
the unbeaten champion.
232
01:05:12,567 --> 01:05:15,437
Here swum my grandfather Durmischan.
233
01:05:46,320 --> 01:05:49,123
"Why don't you swim?"
234
01:05:56,478 --> 01:05:58,284
What could I answer her?
235
01:06:38,721 --> 01:06:40,571
"Now let's sing the last verse"
236
01:06:48,671 --> 01:06:51,020
This is my work.
237
01:06:52,433 --> 01:06:56,023
Cultural worker at
the Tbilisi Excursion Bureau.
238
01:07:46,327 --> 01:07:49,846
I want to touch the sea, enter it,
239
01:07:50,123 --> 01:07:54,157
remember that love my ancestors
felt for long distance swimming.
240
01:07:55,780 --> 01:07:59,026
I owe my grandfather and my father.
241
01:08:01,658 --> 01:08:04,982
I have to challenge myself.
242
01:10:45,290 --> 01:10:47,872
"Swimming contest in remembrance"
243
01:10:48,005 --> 01:10:52,603
"of the legendary Georgian swimmers"
244
01:10:55,412 --> 01:10:58,958
"Durmischan and Domentii Dumbadze."
245
01:10:59,216 --> 01:11:02,363
"Swimming contest in remembrance
of all swimmers."
246
01:14:17,404 --> 01:14:19,376
THE SWIMMER
247
01:14:43,066 --> 01:14:46,157
The End
19384
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