Protesters Clash With Police At Gay-Themed Film Premier In Tbilisi

Several hundred far-right activists and Orthodox Church members clashed with police in the Georgian capital on November 8 as they tried to block the premier of a Swedish-Georgian gay-themed film amid a heavy security measures. Some tried to force their way into the Amirani cinema but were held back by riot police who cordoned off the premises. One young woman trying to go watch the movie was hit by a stone and taken away in an ambulance. 12 have been arrested. The movie, "And Then We Danced" -- Sweden's official Oscar submission in the best international feature film category -- is a love story about two male dancers in Georgia's national ballet ensemble. Georgia's Orthodox Church has denounced it as an "affront to the traditional Georgian values."