Tetri Films has announced the start of shooting on The Man Who Desalinated the Sea, the new feature written, produced and directed by Georgian filmmaker Zurab Dzhidzhilava. The project blends the intimacy of documentary with the lyricism of fiction, offering what the team describes as “a universal story of isolation and belief”.

The film stars acclaimed British actor and theatre director Martin Cooke in the leading role, with rising cinematographer Artem Khavrienko behind the camera. It follows a modern-day Robinson Crusoe who chooses to withdraw from society and vanish into a hidden corner of Europe. Themes of solitude, faith, and the fine line between what is seen and what is believed run through the narrative.

The project has already attracted early industry recognition, having won at the Baltic Pitching Forum, and been shortlisted at FEST Pitching and other prestigious international platforms. This festival momentum positions the film as a likely talking point on the upcoming circuit.

“We are working on a film about human faith, about war and peace, and about the importance of being able to create miracles in the midst of everyday life,” explains Dzhidzhilava. “This story is about the tension between scepticism and wonder – what it means to face something you cannot explain.”

Production is currently under way across multiple undisclosed European locations, ranging from Lithuania to Georgia, with the secrecy intended to preserve the film’s mysterious atmosphere.