Levan Akin's film And then we danced has been celebrated at film festivals around the world since it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival last spring. Earlier this fall it was clear that the film is also Sweden's Oscars grant for the gala next year.

On Friday, November 8, it has its premiere in Georgia, which has aroused the reactions of the National Conservative and LGBT-hostile movement to the Georgian march. In a statement, the movement's leader Sandro Bregadze calls the film "gay propaganda" and calls for protests at cinemas where the film will be shown.

- They have said that they should stand outside all cinemas and prevent people from watching the film, says Levan Akin to the Culture News:

"It's crazy that people who bought tickets to a movie have to be brave and risk being harassed or even attacked to even watch a movie," he continues.

Calls on the church to boycott

And then we danced takes place in Georgia and the actors are Georgians. The film takes place on a dance company and is about the dancer Merab whose existence is turned upside down by the charismatic Iraqi. In the protest call for the film, the Georgians' march also addressed the country's Orthodox priests in order to help them spread the boycott message.

- This movie really just comes from a place of respect and love, especially for Georgia, and if you watch the movie you see it. It is very much about redefining and re-establishing its own culture so that it can include everyone and not just a few. The importance of that I think becomes extra obvious when things like this happen, says Levan Akin.