Exploring Mania
Interview with director Mariam Giorgadze (TAFU Tbilisi, Georgia)
The film Mania (2025) by Mariam Giorgadze focuses on a character experiencing an intense psychological and emotional obsession. The film explores how powerful inner desire can take control of someone’s behaviour and examines the emotional and mental consequences of such a state. The story unfolds through a dark atmosphere and striking imagery that reflects the protagonist’s inner world.
We had the opportunity to speak with the director at the Visegrad Film Forum, where her film was screened as part of the Short Films from Partner Schools programme.
Can you tell us something about yourself?
I love reading, I love films, and I love making art in different media. That’s why I chose cinema — it allows me to combine all these forms together.
What about your film? What was the idea behind it?
It’s about the dynamics of a very toxic and dependent relationship. I wanted to show this experience from inside someone’s head — to see what it feels like when you’re in the middle of it.
Why did you decide on the title Mania?
It’s a name, but it also literally means obsession.
The story takes place in a very specific location. Can you tell us more about it? How did you find it, and how much time did you spend preparing it?
It’s actually a bar in our country. I asked the owners if I could shoot there because they were planning to renovate it anyway. I said, “Just wait a second — let me film first!”
We brought in a sofa and arranged the lighting. Preparing the space only took a few hours. I really liked the iron ceiling, and it was also easy to place the plastic bag there.
The characters wear handmade masks that look quite uncanny, and there is no dialogue in the film. Why did you decide to make the characters silent and masked?
Because they are already dead. The first and last locations are the same because there is a theory about the human brain: when we die, DMT is released and we experience a kind of trip. Sometimes it feels like heaven, sometimes like hell, depending on the circumstances of your life and your death.
I wanted the film to represent that trip — what happens when DMT mixes in the brain. Time stops. Everyone is in a kind of waiting room, dead or dying.
As for the masks, the idea was that you are completely outside your body and emotionless. It’s almost like Adam and Eve — something very primal or biblical. The masks were made of clay to create that feeling.
How much time did you spend in post-production?
Quite a long time, actually. I knew the idea, but I didn’t always know how to translate it into scenes. The film changed a lot during the process. Storyboarding also took time — we had many drafts.
We shot one day per week, and after each shoot I would rethink the next scene based on what the previous one had given the film or what new perspective it suggested.
The music in the film is very subtle, but it creates an eerie and unsettling atmosphere, especially toward the end. Was this the effect you were going for?
Yes, I wanted the music to be subtle. I mostly chose what felt right. I also worked with a very good sound designer, who gave me a lot of advice, suggesting different possibilities, so it was a real collaboration.
Can you tell us about your other work?
I’ve made a few short films that are mostly improvised.
Are you currently working on anything new?
Yes, I’m currently developing a film called Nettle Fields. It’s about masochism and a sadistic relationship. When I return to Georgia, I’ll start scouting locations. I’ve already finished the script, although I’m still not completely satisfied with the casting yet.