The predominantly ethnic Armenian village of Gandzani in southern Georgia is a region rich with history, deep-rooted traditions and ingrained social codes. For Karlen, Hagop and Henrikh, three of Gandzani’s teenagers, life is at a crossroads, as they must decide what comes next: Will they follow the traditional path laid out for them by their ancestors or will they follow their hearts to forge lives of their own making? Each of the young men must find his own answer—many in the same shoes have chosen to migrate to find work in other parts of Europe. Using a hybrid approach that mixes observation and re-enactment, all captured with gorgeous cinematography, A Fire There crafts a lyrical, absorbing coming-of-age story while drawing a unique cinematic portrait of a time and a place. Aisha Jamal