A Light in the Black
What does it mean to love a place that belongs to everyone?
Lia Komakhidze
Director/Co-Producer
A Georgian filmmaker and editor with 15+ years in documentary and television, Lia builds intimate, observational stories that translate complex realities into relatable experience. This film begins as a personal return and becomes a cross-border inquiry into shared stewardship.
Graham Patterson
Scientific Advisor/Co-Producer
Graham is a marine scientist and the founder of REEF Scuba, working at the intersection of science, policy, and community action. He supports the film’s ecological accuracy and helps connect the local story to regional and international governance and solutions.
The Journey
Lia Komakhidze grew up swimming in the Black Sea. She brought her children to these shores. Then, slowly, something felt different. The water, the coastline, the life beneath the surface.
Returning to understand what had changed, she found a story far larger than she expected: a sea shared by six nations, fed by twenty-two more, and caught between the political divisions of the countries that share it. A Light in the Black follows her journey from the Georgian coast to the international stage, searching for the people responsible, and meeting with those already working to bring it back.
A Light in the Black was generously sponsored by Tidal Arts. Field production, research, and outreach are supported by regional scientists, collaborators and conservation partners across the Black Sea.
Email the Producers: info@alightintheblack.com | © 2025 A Light in the Black. All rights reserved.