Georgian filmmaker Ana Urushadze is developing her third feature film following the success of “Supporting Role,” which has earned recognition at major film festivals including Rotterdam and Sarajevo. The upcoming project, titled “Fear of Butterflies,” will center on a woman approaching thirty who experiences unexplained physical and mental changes. Urushadze characterizes the film as a detective narrative infused with mystical elements and subtle horror imagery, exploring how a protagonist’s rejection of her own body produces dark consequences.
The film’s title draws inspiration from Urushadze’s own longstanding phobia of butterflies. During a therapeutic conversation with a psychologist, the director was asked to imagine what a butterfly would represent as a human being. Her response—that it would embody sickness or disability—proved revelatory, helping her understand that her fear stems from anxiety about physical vulnerability. Despite this psychological breakthrough, Urushadze admits the insight has not diminished her actual phobia.
Production will reunite Urushadze with Estonian producer Ivo Felt’s company Allfilm, which collaborated on “Supporting Role.” However, the director faces significant challenges securing financing due to ongoing tensions within Georgia’s film industry, marked by widespread boycotts of state funding institutions. Consequently, Urushadze is pursuing international financing options and remains uncertain whether the film will be shot in Georgia, remaining open to alternative production locations.
Originally reported by Variety →
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