In an environment of pervasive corruption, assassination, and street
rioting, the story of chaotic post-Soviet transition is told through
culture clash, electricity disconnections and blackouts. AES Corp., the
massive American "global power company," has purchased the privatized
electricity distribution company in Tbilisi, capital of the former
Soviet Republic of Georgia. AES manager Piers Lewis must now train the
formerly communist populace that, in this new world, customers pay for
their electricity. The Georgians meanwhile, from pensioners to the
Energy Minister, devise ever more clever ways to get it free. Amidst
hot tempers and high drama, Lewis balances his love for the Georgian
people with the hardships his company creates for them, as they
struggle to build a nation from the rubble of Soviet collapse. “Like
the best documentaries, this one raises questions instead of providing
pat answers.” (Village Voice)
