Akaki Khorava: Movies & Filmography

Akaki Aleksis dze Khorava was a distinguished Georgian and Soviet actor, theater director, and pedagogue whose career spanned more than five decades and left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape of the Soviet Union. Born on April 29, 1895, in the village of Ochkhomuri in the Kutaisi Governorate of the Russian Empire (present-day Georgia), Khorava demonstrated an early passion for the performing arts that would eventually define his life. He pursued his higher education between 1915 and 1919 at the prestigious Kiev and Tbilisi Universities, before further refining his craft at the theater studio of A.N. Pagava beginning in 1922. His transition into film came in 1924, marking the start of a remarkable cinematic journey that would see him appear in at least fifteen films between 1924 and 1965. He became particularly celebrated for his powerful performances in the historical epics The Great Warrior Skanderbeg and Giorgi Saakadze, the latter earning him multiple Stalin Prizes for his portrayal of the lead role.

Throughout his illustrious career, Khorava held several influential positions within the Georgian theatrical community. From 1923 onward, he served as both actor and director at the Shota Rustaveli Academic Theater, eventually rising to the position of artistic director and director of the theater from 1936 to 1955. His commitment to nurturing the next generation of performers led him to take on the role of Director of the Tbilisi Theater Institute named after Sh. Rustaveli from 1939 to 1949. His contributions to the arts were recognized with numerous prestigious honors, including the title of People's Artist of the Georgian SSR in 1934, People's Artist of the USSR in 1936, and multiple Stalin Prizes across different years for his outstanding work in theater and cinema. He was also decorated with two Orders of Lenin and two Orders of the Red Banner of Labour. Khorava passed away on June 23, 1972, in Tbilisi, leaving behind a legacy that continues to be celebrated in Georgian and Soviet cultural history.