In his work, Georgian Mikheil Kobakhidze often opposed Soviet ideology. He made five short films until his career was nipped by the government in 1969. After Musicians, Moscow’s head of State Cinema silenced him by banning him from making any more independent films. So many years later, they excel with freshness and humour.

At first glance, Umbrella seems feathery light: a railway worker lives happily with his lover until an umbrella comes flying and gives the realistic a surreal touch. Is it a metaphor?

Kobakhidze’s work is often compared to that of Jacques Tati and Norman McLaren, even though he stated during an interview that he has never seen anything by these filmmakers, “The subconscious knows no boundaries.”