Giga Lortkipanidze

Giga Lortkipanidze studied at Russian Institute of Theatre Arts. The recorded working language is Georgian. The field of work recorded is theatre and film. Distinctions recorded are USSR State Prize, People's Artist of the USSR, People's artist of the Georgian SSR and Order of the Badge of Honour.

• Name — Giga Lortkipanidze • Native Name — გიგა ლორთქიფანიძე • Birth Name — Grigol Lortkipanidze • Born — 19 October 1927 • Birthplace — Tbilisi, Transcaucasian SFSR, Soviet Union • Died — 13 June 2013 • Place of death — Tbilisi, Georgia • Resting Place — Didube Pantheon, Tbilisi • Occupation — Theatre and film director • Years Active — 1950–2003 • Spouse — Ketevan Kiknadze

Lortkipanidze was born on 19 October 1927 in Tbilisi. He studied at the Shota Rustaveli Theatre Institute in Tbilisi and in 1950 graduated from the directing faculty of the State Institute of Theatre Arts (GITIS) in Moscow.

Lortkipanidze directed at several of Georgia's principal theatres. He was for many years a director and artistic head of the Marjanishvili Theatre in Tbilisi, led the Lado Meskhishvili Theatre in Kutaisi and the Griboedov Russian Drama Theatre, and in 1967 founded the State Drama Theatre in Rustavi, which he led until 1976. He later served as artistic director of Georgian Television (1984–1986) and of the Vaso Abashidze Musical Theatre, and he also staged productions in Moscow, including at the Sovremennik. In cinema, Lortkipanidze directed the seven-part television series Data Tutashkhia (1977, with Gizo Gabeskiria), based on the novel by Chabua Amirejibi, for which he received the USSR State Prize in 1981. His other films include The Land of Our Ancestors (1979, with Giuli Chokhonelidze) and White Flags (1990).

Lortkipanidze was rector of the Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Film University in 1999–2000 and, from 1985, chairman of the Union of Theatre Workers of Georgia. He was a member of the Parliament of Georgia in the 1990s and was made an honorary citizen of Tbilisi in 1996.

Lortkipanidze was married to the actress Ketevan Kiknadze; his sister was the historian Marika Lortkipanidze. He died in Tbilisi on 13 June 2013 and was buried at the Didube Pantheon.

Giga Lortkipanidze is recorded with the occupation theatre manager. Recorded with the occupation film director. Recorded as actor, director, theatre manager, screenwriter and filmmaker.