In 2019, the Georgian-Swedish film And Then We Danced ranked seventh among the best films at the Cannes Film Festival. The main cast included Levan Gelbakhiani, Ana Javakishvili, Giorgi Tsereteli, Tamar Bukhnikashvili, and Marika Gogichaishvili. Negotiations were underway to screen the gay-themed drama in Georgian cinemas.

Screenings took place from November 8–10, 2019. Before the premiere, the Ministry of Internal Affairs announced it was examining whether the film contained elements of pornography.

Homophobic groups planned to disrupt the screenings. On November 6, the Georgian Orthodox Patriarchate released a statement claiming that the film aimed “to change the consciousness of our people, to suppress the negative attitude toward LGBT relationships in society, and ultimately to legalize this sin.” A few days earlier, on October 31, the leader of the homophobic organization Georgian March, Sandro Bregadze, had declared that he would not allow the film to be shown in cinemas.

On November 8, police forces were deployed hours before the screenings in Tbilisi and Batumi. In Tbilisi, the main protest took place outside the “Amirani” cinema, where radical demonstrators threw flares, shouted insults, and chanted “Shame! Shame!” and “Georgia! Georgia!” They demanded that police open the cordon and allow them to enter the building.

In Batumi, members of homophobic groups also attempted to enter the “Apollo” cinema, throwing eggs and firecrackers inside. Hundreds of police officers were mobilized there as well.

Despite the resistance, the screenings began at the scheduled time—7:30 p.m. In Tbilisi, clashes erupted during the protests. Activist Ana Subeliani, politician Davit Berdzenishvili, and one police officer were injured despite the presence of riot police.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 24 people were detained in Tbilisi and 3 in Batumi on charges of disobeying lawful police orders and hooliganism. The ministry investigated four separate incidents: the damage of a police vehicle, the assault on Davit Berdzenishvili, the injury of Ana Subeliani, and attacks on police officers that resulted in two injuries.

Shalva Shevardnadze was convicted for injuring Ana Subeliani and, on July 1, 2020, was sentenced to one year and six months in prison.