A Light In The Black, Georgia

A Light in the Black is a documentary project that blends personal memory and connection with the ecological reality of the Black Sea today. It links together art and science, knowledge and creativity.

The inspiration comes from the artist’s own story, shaped by time spent along the shores of the Black Sea. These memories form the emotional foundation of a journey that continues in the present, undertaken with a marine scientist who helps uncover the true state of the sea. The film introduces this personal bond before shifting to the pressing question: what is happening to the Black Sea now? The search for answers leads to collaboration with scientists, coastal communities, and international experts, creating a narrative that is both deeply personal and broadly relevant.

The artistic approach combines voiceover narration with interviews, wide landscapes, and underwater footage that capture the Black Sea in its many dimensions. The voiceover serves as a guide, drawing the audience into the story with intimacy and reflection, while interviews ground the film in lived experience and expertise. Expansive coastal imagery contrasts with the hidden underwater world, revealing both beauty and fragility. By weaving these elements together, the film maintains a balance between artistic storytelling and factual investigation. This balance invites audiences into a reflective space where emotional connection and intellectual engagement reinforce each other, ensuring the story speaks to both local and international audiences.

The production will use cinematography above and below the waterline, coupled with interviews filmed on the Georgian coast and later at international gatherings. At the IUCN World Conservation Congress, the film will expand its lens to a global dialogue, situating the Black Sea within the larger challenge of how nations manage shared seas and oceans. The journey concludes in New York, at the United Nations, where questions of responsibility and cooperation take center stage. Sound and original music will help bridge these transitions, guiding the audience from personal reflection to collective urgency.

The primary audience includes Georgian communities, for whom the Black Sea is a cultural and ecological lifeline. Yet the story also reaches a broader public concerned with ocean conservation, climate change, and the need for collaboration across borders. By highlighting the Black Sea as both a unique local ecosystem and a mirror of global environmental realities, the project fosters empathy and awareness that transcend geography. Screenings are intended not only as cinematic experiences but also as spaces for dialogue, inspiring communities, policymakers, and younger generations to imagine new ways of caring for the sea.

Filming begins in September on the Georgian coast, capturing interviews, seascapes, and underwater imagery. This will be followed by documentation of the IUCN conference, and finally, post-production will bring these elements together into a cohesive whole. Editing, narration, and sound design will shape the journey into a three-act arc, while outreach and festival submissions will share the story with both local and global audiences.

A Light in the Black transforms a personal memory of the sea into a universal call for shared responsibility. It is a story about reconnecting with a beloved place, discovering its present challenges, and realizing that the future of the Black Sea—like that of all our oceans— depends on cooperation, creativity, and care.

GOALS:

The goal of A Light in the Black is to reconnect audiences with the Black Sea and reveal its ecological challenges through a blend of art and science. The project seeks to raise awareness about the fragile state of the sea, while framing it as part of a global story of ocean stewardship.

The film aims to inspire dialogue, foster empathy, and encourage cooperation between scientists, policymakers, and the public. Ultimately, the goal is to transform a personal journey into a universal call for shared responsibility.