Ramin

A Georgian wrestling legend confronts loneliness in the final chapter of his life

Ramin is a 2011 documentary directed by Audrius Stonys that portrays the later years of Ramin Lomsadze, a celebrated Georgian wrestler and one of the last great Palavani of the traditional folk wrestling style known as Chidaoba. Living alone in the town of Kvareli in north eastern Georgia, Ramin spends his days performing small daily routines, visiting the local market, and reflecting on a life marked by discipline, honour, and extraordinary athletic achievement. He is remembered for a feat without equal, defeating seven opponents in just fifty five seconds, a moment that secured his place in Georgian sporting history.

Through a calm and observant camera, the film reveals a man revered by both older and younger generations, not only for his victories but also for the moral values embodied by Chidaoba, a tradition deeply rooted in Georgian culture and identity. Ramin has trained many younger wrestlers who respectfully call him Teacher Ramin, and who gather to celebrate his seventy fifth birthday with music, wine, and ritual toasts.

Yet beneath this respect and legacy lies an enduring sense of absence. Ramin’s closest companions are memories of his deceased mother and his past triumphs. Feeling the weight of loneliness, he decides to confront what he never dared to lose. Remembering a woman he loved fifty years earlier, named Sveta, he boards a train to the remote village of Kvenatkotsa to search for her. The film follows this physical journey across the Georgian landscape, intertwined with an inner journey through memory, regret, and the possibility of emotional surrender at the end of a life defined by strength and restraint.