9-MONTH CONTRACT

Ketevan Vashagashvili, Bulgaria / Germany / Georgia, 2025, 80 min., documentary, Georgian with English subtitles

Zhana has freed herself from homelessness. However, despite having two jobs, she still lives in poverty with her teenage daughter Elene in Tbilisi. In order to give her daughter, whom she loves more than anything, a better life, she also offers her services as a surrogate mother. In doing so, she is left defenseless against the risks of the unregulated Georgian market: shady agencies that exploit women and cheat them out of their money, as well as unreliable prospective parents who threaten or abandon them. Added to this is the social stigma that defames her as a “child seller” and strains her close relationship with Elene. How openly can she talk to her daughter about her “side job,” and how will Elene deal with it—including the consequences that repeated surrogacy has for Zhana’s health and their life together?
Ketevan Vashagashvili (director)
Ketevan Vashagashvili is a documentary filmmaker based in Tbilisi. She is a Chevening Alumni with an MA in Digital Documentary from the University of Sussex (UK). Her main interest lies in social and human rights issues. Ketevan has 15 years of experience in working at various Georgian TV channels and online platforms, directing and producing TV documentaries, TV-series and programmes. Ketevan works at the Georgian Public Broadcaster and has completed her first feature-length documentary film, 9-Month Contract, produced by the Georgian company 1991 Productions.
Tickets: Mon, Nov. 3, 7:15 p.m.
in a double program with: TORN – AUS DER MITTE GERISSEN
9-MONTH CONTRACT celebrated its world premiere at CPH:DOX in Copenhagen, where the film also won the HUMAN:RIGHTS AWARD. The film celebrated its German premiere in the “Crossing Boundaries” competition series at DOK.fest Munich. In Berlin, the film was shown for the first time at the International Documentary and Media Festival Berlin (Doxumentale).

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