Dea Kulumbegashvili’s 'Beginning' Triumphs at San Sebastian Film Festival

Georgian director Dea Kulumbegashvili’s Georgian-French drama Beginning has won the Golden Shell for best film at the San Sebastián International Film Festival. 

The film was awarded prizes for best director, best actress for Ia Sukhitashvili, and best screenplay for Kulumbegashvili and co-writer Rati Oneli by the jury headed by Luca Guadagnino.

In the Beginning, Kulumbegashvili tells the story of a persecuted family of Jehovah’s Witness missionaries from the perspective of a wife and mother.

A synopsis for the film reads: “In a sleepy provincial town, a Jehovah Witness community is attacked by an extremist group. In the midst of this conflict, the familiar world of Yana, the wife of the community leader, slowly crumbles. Yana’s inner discontent grows as she struggles to make sense of her desires”.

Kulumbegashvili wrote the script with Rati Oneli. Starring are Ia Sukhitashvili, Rati Oneli and Kakha Kintsurashvili. Music comes from the internationally renowned producer Nicolas Jaar. The film is produced by First Picture, Zadig Films and O.F.A.