Circle interviews with the Alumni: Meet Maka Gogaladze - CIRCLE Doc Accelerator 2020 participant.

We've asked our Alumni to share their Circle experience with us: motivation, outcomes, how

it helped them shaped their projects and what it means to be part of the Circle family along with their views on the current cinema landscape and how gender has been an asset or barrier.

Q. Please introduce yourself and your project briefly.

I am Maka Gogaladze, a documentary filmmaker from Georgia. I participated in Circle with my film project Ever Since I Knew Myself, which had its premiere at Visions du Réel in 2024.

Q. What made you apply for CIRCLE?

I was at a very early stage of developing my personal project, which has both social and political dimensions. At that point, I felt conflicted—on one hand, I was deeply emotionally engaged, and on the other, I wanted to broaden its wider context. I applied to CIRCLE in order to develop the project further with the support of fellow filmmakers and experienced experts from a diverse international community. My goal was to strengthen its unique aspects while also making it relevant and accessible to audiences from different cultural backgrounds.

Q. Can you compare your experience at CIRCLE with other similar platforms that you have been part of?

Even though my participation in CIRCLE was online due to the pandemic, it stood out as an incredibly friendly and safe space where I felt secure to share the most intimate details of my project without fear of being judged or misunderstood. At that very vulnerable stage of early development, it gave me the breathing space to go deeper into the project and receive careful, caring feedback. Later, CIRCLE also provided the opportunity to present the project to industry representatives at the Cannes showcase during its late production stage - an invaluable chance to build outreach for the upcoming film. It was absolutely essential to have that friendly-professional atmosphere at the beginning, and the fact that even after completing the program they remained supportive and offered additional opportunities was both important and deeply appreciated.

Q. How has participating in CIRCLE helped you and/or your project?

As described above, participating in CIRCLE helped me to reach deeper layers of the subject during the development stage and, later on, supported the project’s outreach as the film began its release.

Q. As a woman working in the industry, have you faced any barriers or issues related to your gender?

Fortunately, I have not faced any tangible barriers in my work due to gender. However, being part of the women’s group at CIRCLE felt especially safe, friendly, and deeply connected.

Q. What's the most challenging part of being a Filmmakers under the current world circumstances?

The most challenging part is learning how to navigate rapidly shifting political agendas - finding a way to remain politically correct and balanced while also staying honest and ethical. At the same time, it is a struggle to survive, keep developing, and continue making films that remain relevant.