Since Otar Left (2003)
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98% of critics liked it
(55 reviews) -
84% of users liked it
(1,510 ratings)
A family is forced into deception for the sake of their matriarch in this poignant drama. Three generations of women share a tiny apartment in Tbilisi, a Georgia city that has been devastated by war, political instability, and a ruined economy. Eka (Esther Gorintin) is an elderly woman whose health… More A family is forced into deception for the sake of their matriarch in this poignant drama. Three generations of women share a tiny apartment in Tbilisi, a Georgia city that has been devastated by war, political instability, and a ruined economy. Eka (Esther Gorintin) is an elderly woman whose health is failing, but her will remains strong and she holds sway over the household. Eka's daughter, Marina (Nino Khomassouridze), is a middle-aged woman who is still dealing with the devastating circumstances of her childhood and the death of her husband. And Marina's daughter, Ada (Dinara Droukarova), is a college student who feels trapped by her circumstances and abraded by her lack of privacy; she has a lover, but since she must share a bed with her mother, they can only make love in his car. The light of Eka's life is her son, Otar, who has fled Tbilisi and lives in Paris. Otar writes frequently and sends money as often as he can, and while Marina resents her mother's obvious favoritism toward her brother, she and Ada realize how important his letters are to her. While Eka is visiting friends, Marina and Ada receive devastating news -- Otar has died in Paris, and since he wasn't carrying his visa when his body was found, he's been buried in an unmarked pauper's grave. Afraid this news would be a severe blow to Eka's poor health, Marina doesn't tell her mother what has happened, and Ada begins writing letters as Otar to maintain the illusion that he's alive. The ruse works well enough until Eka announces she's raised enough money by selling her possessions to visit her son in France. Depuis Qu'Otar Est Parti... (aka Since Otar Left) is the first feature film from director Julie Bertuccelli; it received an enthusiastic reception when it was screened at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Julie Bertuccelli
- Written By
- Julie Bertuccelli, Bernard Renucci
- Genres
- Art House & International, Drama
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Apr 30, 2004 Limited
- Studio
- Zeitgeist Films
Critic Reviews
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Tom Keogh, Seattle Times
Bertuccelli tackles Since Otar Left... with the kind of ambitious imagination that makes one marvel at a natural filmmaker's unexpected and original choices.
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Marta Barber, Miami Herald
The finely crafted film shows the complex needs and anxieties of a three-generation family living in a country that has undergone dramatic political and cultural changes.
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Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This emotionally rich situation is played for all its worth by the entire cast, but the standout is Gorintin.
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Peter Howell, Toronto Star
It is a film that understands women, but more importantly, understands life.
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Michael Booth, Denver Post
Otar and Lenin make terrific bookends on the post-communist experience for average citizens.
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Cast
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Esther Gorintin
as Eka
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Dinara Droukarova
as Ada
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Nino Khomasuridze
as Marina
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Rusudan Bolkvadze
as Roussiko
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Sacha Sarichvili
as Alexi
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Temur Kalandadze
as Tengiz
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Douta Skhirtladze
as Niko
- Sasha Sarishvili
- Abdallah Moundy
- Dinara Drukarova
- Duta Skhirtladze
- Micha Eristavi
- Mzia Eristavi
- Rusudan Bolqvadze
- Zoura Natrochvili
