Out of 11 award nominations and 5 special prizes, Tbilisi State Medical University theater “Hygia” won in six categories at the International Festival of Tbilisi Amateur Student’s Theater “Mask 2024”.”

Three of the six awards were received by Giorgi Sanikidze for his portrayal of Mikicha in the production of Khanuma. His compelling performance captivated both the festival jury and fellow student theaters, earning him the awards for Best Male Comedic Role, Tbilisi Municipality’s Favorite, and Audience Favorite.

Ekaterine Chanchaleishvili was awarded for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mikicha’s mother, a performance that left a lasting impression on both the jury and the audience.

Pepe Gognadze was recognized for Best Female Comedic Role for her portrayal of Khanuma, a central character in the play. She brought a distinctive interpretation to the role, which was met with wide acclaim by both viewers and the jury.

Khvicha Sebua and Tato Zumbadze, who played Siko and Niko respectively, were honored with the Tristan Saralidze Prize for Outstanding Stage Presence for their charming and charismatic performances.

The “Mask” festival was held for the eleventh time and since its inception, has been hosted by Tbilisi State Medical University. For the first time this year, TSMU established the “TSMU Rector’s Special Award,” which will be presented annually. The symbolic award was granted to the debuting theater troupe from Grigol Robakidze University.

“We have decided to establish the TSMU Rector’s Special Award, which will be awarded annually to a selected participant troupe. This year, I would like to present this symbolic prize to the debuting troupe from Grigol Robakidze University. For over ten years, our university has hosted the International Student Theater Festival. As the Rector of TSMU, I take great pride in this. I have already highlighted, the university will continue to support our theater troupe, our festival and student creativity to the fullest extent” said Professor Irakli Natrosvhili, Rector of TSMU. 

Organizers also honored TSMU administration representatives: Aleksandre Buachidze, Chancellor of TSMU, Zurab Vadachkoria, Vice-Rector of TSMU and Khatuna Todadze, Head of Quality Assurance Service for their support of the theater and festival. 

The “Mask 2024” International Festival, organized by the Association of Student Theaters of Tbilisi (ASTA), opened with a festive ceremony on April 7 at Tbilisi State Medical University. The festival ran for eight days, offering unforgettable emotions and a true celebration of creativity to its audience. The student theater troupes were evaluated by a panel of professional actors. At the closing ceremony, jury members expressed their enthusiasm and even the desire to invite some of the amateur actors into the professional theater scene. The festival will return in December to delight theater lovers once again