Sharing an intertwined culinary, religious, and cultural history, Georgia and Armenia have long had much to celebrate. From shared inspirations in the kitchen to a legacy of fending off invading forces from the Ottoman, Russian, and Persian empires, the duo make up the heart of the South Caucasus. However, the two cultures came together not only with food, wine, and song, but with the legendary Soviet-era film ‘Mimino’.
For the uninitiated, the film Mimino is a 1977 comedy by Georgian director Georgiy Daneliya starring Vakhtang Kikabidze, who plays pilot Valiko Mizandari, nicknamed Mimino, and Frunzik Mkrtchyan, who plays truck driver Ruben Khachikyan. In short, the story follows the two, who, after making friends in Moscow, engage in various adventures including a criminal case, flying one of the Soviet Union’s most advanced commercial airliners, and eventually returning to Telavi.
The film has garnered a form of cult following, with more and more young people enjoying the film and relating to its underlying theme of always remembering where you came from and returning to one’s roots. Additionally, it is the hilarious combination of the two, the ambitious but homesick Georgian pilot and the ever-energetic and optimistic Armenian trucker, that brings the two communities together. In the northern Armenian town of Dilijan, that essence was last month combined with an exquisite festival of local dishes, sleek-flavored and unique wines, and of course mouth-watering street food.
Combined with artisans from both nations presenting their handiwork, the main street in Dilijan rang with the sounds of traditional music and crackling grills. Adorning the scene were iconic quotes from the movie, the old repurposed army truck used in the film, as well as a used tire – an item only true fans of the film will recognize. A stage in the center of the festival played the film on repeat, with each country showcasing their traditional dances and music alongside.
The Mimino Festival, a first of its kind, displays the similarities as well as the differences in both nation’s offerings. While some dishes share similar spice combinations, vegetables, or cuts of meat, others are unique only to one of the two. Wine, a hallmark of both nation’s table sets, flowed plentifully, allowing visitors to imbibe the best of both countries’ harvests.
What the event aims for, aside from driving down the hunger and thirst of the throngs of visitors from a myriad of nations, is increased cultural cooperation between the two countries. In Armenia, which still hosts a small number of Georgian restaurants, there are often the ubiquitous staples of Khinkali or aubergine with walnuts. Georgia likewise shares not only its own version but also the Armenian variation on dolma (or tolma) as well as a selection of Armenian restaurants in the capital of Tbilisi.
With each nation receiving an ever increasing number of tourists per year, the opportunity for the two to offer travelers the experiences of the other is ripe. A culinary, cultural, and economic cross pollination opens the door for tourism in both nations to further develop. While the Mimino Festival is only a microcosm of this collaboration, it shows a sliver of the full potential the South Caucasus duo have in store for those that hunger for more unique experiences in the history-soaked mountains.
Additionally, the town of DIlijan is not chosen lightly as the setting for such an event. The region has been earmarked as a center of intensive development. While the town may seem small upon arrival, it boasts some impressive eateries, awe-inspiring views, and exceptionally comfortable lodging options for any type of traveler. All of this is maintained while still offering a small-town Caucasian experience.
Armenia, like Georgia, has redoubled its efforts in both the private and public sectors in tourism. Be it the wandering backpacker wanting the personal touch of the family guesthouse or the discerning traveler wishing for something more haute couture, Armenia has something for all. Coming from Georgia, Dilijan serves as the perfect first taste of this experience.
At the closing of the festival, dancing troupes from both Armenia and Georgia took to the stage to perform their respective nation’s dances. While only consisting of youth groups, they performed intricately choreographed numbers to historical music that draws from the diverse regions of each country. As the evening turned to night, the crowds were slow to disperse, still savoring the flavors, laughs, and sense of community an event like this can only offer.
Following the event, it’s evident that the impact is real. Each nation, and indeed each region within the country that was represented, left its mark on the visitors leaving them salivating for more. Like the classic film Mimino, the combination of Armenian and Georgian cultures offers a unique experience from which not only locals but tourists from around the world reap the benefits.
This article and accompanying photographs were graciously made possible with the immense resources and support of the Tourism Committee and Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Armenia, and the wonderful team at Caucasus Holidays (https://caucasusholidays.am/).
Blog by Michael Godwin
