Leila Abashidze

Who is Leila Abashidze?

Leila Abashidze is a Georgian actress, director and writer. She is praised as Meritorious Artist of Georgia, People's Artist of Georgia. Is the owner of Order of the Red Banner of Labour, as well as of awards of European and Asian film festivals, also has her own honorary star in front of Rustaveli cinema on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi, Georgia. During her career she was widely considered as "Mary Pickford of USSR". She is one of the most popular Georgian and Soviet actresses.

In 1951, Leila Abashidze graduated from Rustaveli Theatrical Institute in Tbilisi, Georgia. She has worked in film studio "Georgian film" since 1940 and is a member of cinematographer's union since 1958.

Leila Abashidze made her screen debut as a child alongside legendary Nato Vachnadze in Kajana, but it was the hit romantic comedy called The Dragonfly which made her very popular throughout the Soviet Union and Europe. Then she appeared in another popular comedy The Scrapper. After all that, she was associated with comedies, but this stereotype was destroyed after she had starred in the critically acclaimed historical drama Maia Tskneteli.