Givi Sikharulidze

Givi Sikharulidze was born on February 28, 1944 in Tbilisi, Georgia (former USSR) to a family of teachers. In 1969 he graduated from Agro State University of Georgia. Givi studied at the "Studio of the World", owned by the renowned ballet master Vakhtang Chabukiani. In 1961 he became a lead dancer of the Georgian National Ballet Company of Iliko Sukhishvili and Nino Ramishvil and performed on numerous tours worldwide. From 1988 to 2006 Givi was an artistic director and a lead choreographer of the Georgian Folk Dancing Company "Tbilisi". He is the recipient of the nationally recognized title of "Distinguished Artist of the Republic of Georgia". On his 70th birthday he was knighted for his contributions as a choreographer. Since 1972, Givi has appeared in numerous films as a leading actor including award winning feature films such as Gaseirneba (1972) (Long Walk) by Zurab Tutberidze, Chidaobas Ra Unda (1988) (Wrestling) by Micheil Chiaureli, Turandoti (1989) by Otar Shamatava, Enki-Benki (2002) by Guguli Mgeladze, and 5 Days of War (2011) by Renny Harlin, starring Andy Garcia. He played the leading role in Sun of the Sleepless (1992) (The Sun of the Sleepless) by Temur Babluani. The film was awarded a Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival in 1993, a Nika Award at the Moscow Film Festival, a Tavria Gran Prix in the Sochi Film Festival and a Golden Eagle at the Georgian Film Festival. In 2006 Givi starred in a French/Georgian film L'héritage (2006) by Temur Babluani and Géla Babluani. The film won the Special Jury Prize Award at the Sundance Film Festival in 2007. Givi also played a leading part in a Georgian TV series Tskheli Dzagli (2003) (Mad Dog). Givi also directed several movies based on his short stories; "Uncle Violin", "Uvazhaemi", "Street Queen" (winner of the Organizers Prize and a Silver Scepter at the Batumi International Film Festival in Georgia) and "Frozen Birds" starring young actress Irinka Tsereteli, who received the Best Child Actor Award at the Batumi International Film Festival. In 2014 together with his son Beka Sikharulidze, Givi wrote the screenplay, "Grandpa's Debtor" based on one of his short stories. Beka directed and produced the short film in the same year. Grandpa's Debtor (2015) has achieved worldwide success and won seven International Film Festival Awards. The Short film has been purchased by the Eurochannel and has been aired for two years in about 86 countries worldwide. Givi is an author of a novel "Iamur" and 17 other books of short stories and poems. In 2005 Givi's book "Atskvetili Sitsotskhle - Is + Me" was awarded the main Georgian literary prize "Niko Lortkipanidze", named after the renowned Georgian writer. In 2013 Givi Sikharulidze created completely new literary genre, a collection of short stories based on memories. In this genre he published the books about world-famous opera singers Lado Ataneli and Aleko Khomeriki, the main Choreographer/Ballet-Master of Adjarian State Ensamble of Folk Dance Temur Bibileishvili, the Academician of Georgian Academy of Sciences Shota Japaridze and the world-famous painter of Opera and Ballet Theatres Muraz Murvanidze. Since 1980, several of Givi's works have been published in literary journals and various other publications. His short stories entered the anthology of Georgian prose. Many of these stories have been translated into English, Russian, French, Ukrainian, Azerbaijani and other languages. He is named as the creator of a new genre "Tbilisi Short Stories" (ghost writer). Givi Sikharulidze was a member of the Georgian Writers Union and chairman of its International Relations Department. He was elected member of the review committee of the International Writers Union in Moscow, Russia in 2006. Givi Sikharulidze is an elected Academician of the Academy of Georgian Writers, Scientists and Public Figures. In 2006 Georgian "Mirror" magazine chose him Actor of the Year. Givi was a member of the editorial board of the journal "Literature and Art", a deputy chief editor of the literary journal "Orbeti" and a member of the editorial board of the Russian literary journal "Dom Rostova". In 2014 the city of Batumi granted him the title of Honorable Citizen. In 2015 Givi was invited to be a Jury member of the 13th Amur Autumn Film and Theatre Festival. Givi Sikharulidze is the Honored Artist of Georgia. He is the owner of a Dignity Medal of Georgia. A famous Georgian newspaper "New Version" granted him a City's Vivid Personality Award. He is an accomplished tennis player, water skier and snow skier. He has two sons, Jaba Sikharulidze and Beka Sikharulidze and six grandchildren.