BEFORE THE GUN GOES OFF...

BEFORE THE GUN GOES OFF... marks the debut feature of Sri Lankan independent filmmaker Pavith Sivakumar and was produced entirely in Tbilisi over seven months by a multinational team of self-taught filmmakers working outside the traditional studio system. Shot in English with a cast and crew drawn from multiple countries and backgrounds, the project represents an ambitious grassroots production made almost entirely through passion, persistence and collaboration.

The film follows two men whose lives could not be more different. Chris is a chess player who has never won a game. Hans is a wealthy and successful film director seemingly living the life Chris can only imagine. As their stories unfold, BEFORE THE GUN GOES OFF... explores the hidden struggles that exist beneath appearances, asking whether status, money or success can ever truly protect us from loneliness, self-doubt and personal demons.

Blending psychological thriller elements with non-linear storytelling, the film gradually pieces together the inner worlds of its characters, inviting audiences to question what they are seeing and how the different threads connect. Themes of identity, perception, coping mechanisms and the complexity of the human psyche sit at the centre of the story.

A locally produced independent feature with international roots, BEFORE THE GUN GOES OFF... is an opportunity to support emerging filmmakers working within Tbilisi's growing creative community while experiencing a psychological thriller built to keep audiences thinking long after the credits roll.