Germane Gogitidze (1886-1960) One of the pioneers of the Georgian film industry. He received his higher education in France. In 1914, he used his own money to build a theater in Ozurgeti, which was later converted into the cinema Illuzioni. In 1916 he made, together with film director Aleksandre Tsutsunava, the first Georgian feature film, Kristine. In 1921 he became the head of the film division of the People's Commissariat for Education. He founded Sakhkinmretsvi in 1923 and served as its managing director. In 1949 he was arrested under Article 58 of the Criminal Code (National Treason) and was exiled to a labor camp (Minlag) in the Komi ASSR, until his release in 1956. Gogitidze was rehabilitated, but he never worked in Georgian film production again. Gogitidze is credited with giving institutional character to the Georgian film industry.