With the support of RMG and the Georgian-German Wine House, a pre-premiere screening of Toma Chagelishvili’s documentary film The History of the Lost Photos was held at the Cinema Hall of the National Archives of Georgia.
The event also featured an exhibition of photographs taken in Bolnisi in the 1920s, by a presumably local, unknown photographer Ervand Khanguliants.
In the fall of 2025, Toma Chagelishvili produced a documentary that explores the 19th and 20th centuries in Katharinenfeld (modern-day Bolnisi) and tells the story of a photographic archive discovered in the attic of one of the oldest houses in the town. The photographs depict the daily lives of German colonists and Georgians, their customs, work, and rituals.
Accidentally discovered negatives, counting up to several hundred, bring the era back to life – allowing for a new understanding and reassessment of the German colonies and their way of living in Georgia at the beginning of the 20th century.
The film also introduces viewers to contemporary Bolnisi, highlighting the city’s remaining unique architectural landmarks, restored winemaking traditions, today’s Bolnisi winemakers and their products. Particular attention is given to the Georgian-German Wine House, which serves as a remarkable example of Georgian-German architectural heritage, as well as a cultural hub, where Georgian and German winemaking traditions meet and enrich.
“It is very important for RMG to support cultural and educational initiatives in the region. We see that local winemaking is closely connected to the German legacy and traditions left in Bolnisi over a century ago. This film helps revive that legacy and aims to introduce this heritage to a broader public. We are committed to actively participating in the research of these photographic negatives and support their exhibition in various spaces” – Natalie Nozadze, RMG’s Public Relations Manager.
As part of its corporate social responsibility efforts, RMG has been implementing the Bolnisi Wine Support Program since 2018. The program aims to promote Bolnisi PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) wines and to support the development of small local wineries.
Within this initiative, the Georgian-German Wine House was opened in Bolnisi in 2023. This multifunctional space promotes local wines but also serves as a space for presenting the rich history of Bolnisi and the Kvemo Kartli region as a whole.