9-Month Contract
A Georgian mother turns to surrogacy to secure a roof over her daughter’s head. What begins as a quick way to earn cash transforms into a profound sacrifice, questioning how far a mother can go.
9-Month Contract
ცხრათვიანი კონტრაქტი
Ketevan Vashagashvili · Georgia, Germany, Bulgaria · 2025 · 77 min
FEATURES COMPETITION
In Tbilisi a homeless mother, Zhana, resorts to surrogacy to provide a safe life for her teenage daughter, Elene. While trying to keep her pregnancies hidden from Elene, Zhana's financial struggles persist. With no proper regulations in place, she pushes her body to the extreme through multiple childbirths, taking a dangerous toll on her organs and risking her life. As Zhana’s health declines, Elene matures and eventually confronts her mother about her choices and their consequences. Through the director’s decade-long friendship with the duo, the film explores the evolving dynamics of the mother-daughter relationship and raises questions about the extent of a mother’s sacrifice.
Documentary · Drama, Crime · 15+
Language: Georgian
Themes: Reproductive & human rights, female body
Screenplay: Ketevan Vashagashvili
Producers: Anna Khazaradze, Nino Chichua, Martichka Bozhilova (co-producer), Sylvia Nagel (co-producer)
Executive Producer: Natalia Gagunashvili
Cinematographers: Giviko Tukhareli, Ketevan Vashagashvili
Key cast: Zhana Vakhtangashvili, Elene Kukhtinovi
Crew's Statement
Ketevan Vashagashvili first made a short report about the film’s protagonist when she was living on the street with her young daughter. The report helped them leave the streets, and the two have remained friends ever since. The film advocates for the introduction of regulations around surrogacy in Georgia, where the practice remains in a grey zone and surrogate mothers are heavily stigmatized.
