A rare film from Georgia Film's 1960s period, during which the studio was transitioning from the Stalinist to the post-Stalinist era. This period seems to be more poorly attested that the ones before or after... for example, this film seems to survive only in black & white (though I assume it was originally in colour). So far, this is the only Georgian cartoon from this period on the site, and might be one of their earliest puppet films. At around the same time, puppet films began to be created in other Soviet animation studios as well. Also, unlike all the earlier Georgian cartoons I've seen, this one doesn't have fantastical elements (well... except for the doctor somehow managing to re-attach the boy's leg after it has been ripped clean off!)

The 1965 date (which I've only found on the Arjlover forum) does seem more likely than the 1958 date which is almost everywhere else online, given that Sulakauri's biography says that he began to direct in 1964, and there is conspicuously a missing film in 1965. Still, it would be nice to see some more evidence...

Operator: Violetta Karosanidze.