Ivane Perestiani

Ivan Nikolaevich Perestiani (also Ivane, Georgian: ივანე პერესტიანი; Russian: Иван Николаевич Перестиани; 13 April [O.S. 1 April] 1870 — 14 May 1959) was a Georgian/Soviet film director, screenwriter and actor, and People's Artist of the Georgian SSR (1949). He was of Kefalonian Greek descent. Ivan Perestiani was born in the city of Taganrog into the family of Nikolay Afanasievich Perestiani on 13 April [O.S. 1 April] 1870. His first actor's experience was onstage of Taganrog Theatre under name of Ivan Nevedomov in 1886. The first movie roles played by Perestiani were Grif starogo bortsa a.k.a. Griffon of an Old Warrior and Zhizn za zhizn a.k.a. A Life for a Life in 1916. During Russian Civil War, he wrote scenario for several short films.

In 1920 Ivan Perestiani moved to Tbilisi, becoming one of the founding fathers of Georgian cinematography. In 1921, he staged the first Soviet Georgian historical and revolutionary film Arsen Jorjiashvili a.k.a. The Murder of General Gryaznov, where he also played the role of Vorontsov-Dashkov. The silent black-and-white movie Tsiteli eshmakunebi (Russian title Krasnye dyavolyata (Little Red Devils)) that he staged in 1923 basing on the novel by Pavel Blyakhin is considered as one of his best film director's works.

Perestiani worked for several years at Odessa Cinema Studio, Armenfilm studio, and finally returned to Tbilisi in 1939. For his achievements he was awarded with three orders and the honorary title of People's Artist of the Georgian SSR in 1949. He died in Moscow on 14 May 1959.