A Little Daneliade

“Georgi Danelia is a great storyteller. To talk about his aesthetics as a film director would be a pointless undertaking; truly creative people create their own aesthetics that do not fit into the framework of already existing specifications. If I were to get to the heart of the essence of his oeuvre, I would characterise it in these words: with a smile for goodness. Furthermore, Danelia himself formulated a comprehensive, probably more precise definition. To the question as to what his films are primarily all about, he once replied, ‘About our longing for goodness!’
One of Gidon Kremer's countless, brilliantly realised projects in recent years is concerned with film music. I was pleased to accept his invitation to participate in this project, for I was delighted over the possibility of being able to express my unbound gratitude to two great masters at once: Georgi Danelia and Gidon Kremer. I brought together my love for both of them in a small work entitled ‘A Little Daneliade’ (the idea and title of which were Gidon Kremer's). The thematic basis of the work is formed by motifs from my music to the Danelia films ‘Kin-dza-dza’ and ‘The Tears Overflowed’.
There is another reason why I especially love the ‘Little Daneliade’. In it, I have endeavoured to show that "tears do not always overflow" in my music, but that I am occasionally capable of smiling as well.” (Giya Kancheli)