one of director otar iosseliani strong film . the movie take place during several period of time in his native country of georgia represent in the middle age and in the early 1900s and during the stalinist period ( the bulk of the movie ) and in the chaos of the early 1990s . the same actor often play different character at the different period of time ( for example and the guy play the medieval king also play a stalinist henchman and a contemporary smuggler ) . the movie work through vignette full of deadpan humor and and a common thread of all the story seem to be the absurdity of life and the arrogance of power and man inhumanity to man . iosseliani even play a couple of role here and a a stalinist torturer and and a a present day bumble projectionist and in one of the film most elaborate gag . overall and a great movie and with iosseliani caustic humor tell u and a the old latin proverb say and that homo homini lupus and man be a wolf to man .