The Georgian Museum of Fine Arts, in partnership with the Italian Embassy, is hosting the photo exhibition Marcello. Curated by Lika Mamatsashvili, the exhibition explores the historic visit of Italian cinema icon Marcello Mastroianni to Georgia. Visitors can see the archive-based display in the museum’s temporary exhibition space until June 30.
In March 1988, Mastroianni’s three-day trip to Georgia attracted significant attention from the local cultural scene, media, and documentary photographers. The project, titled They Welcome Me Like This Only in Italy, brings together a series of rare photographs taken by renowned Georgian photographer Yuri Mechitov. The documentary collection carefully follows the actor’s journey and meetings in Tbilisi, Mtskheta, and Gori.
The photographs reveal a strong cinematic atmosphere, reflecting Mastroianni’s signature sophistication and the timeless elegance associated with 20th-century Italian cinema. The images also document his interactions with representatives of the Georgian film industry and local journalists. One of the exhibition’s highlights is a series of photographs capturing Mastroianni’s visit to the home of film director Sergei Parajanov.
More than a simple record of the past, Marcello offers a visual study of a rare cultural exchange. It is a place where European cinematic aesthetics meet the bohemian spirit of 20th-century Georgia. Through Yuri Mechitov’s photographs, visitors discover not only a historical moment but also the enduring elegance of cinema and fashion- an elegance that continues to resonate across generations.
