A State in a State is an experimental documentary film that traces the construction, disruption, and fragmentation of railroads in the South Caucasus and Caspian regions, observing how these transport infrastructures have come to materialise the fragile political borders that re-emerged after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The film revolves around the scenes of delay and waiting that constitute cargo mobility, countering optimistic narratives about the New Silk Road and examining how the iron foundation of connectivity is used as a weapon of exclusion and geopolitical sabotage.

Participants:

Tekla Aslanishvili (b. Tbilisi, 1988) is an artist, filmmaker and essayist based between Berlin and Tbilisi. Her works emerge at the intersection of infrastructural design, history and geopolitics.

Evelina Gambino is the Margaret Tyler Research Fellow in Geography at Girton College, University of Cambridge

The screening will be followed by a Q & A with director Tekla Aslanishvili and Dr Evelina Gambino.