Beginning

Beginning is a masterful exploration of faith, isolation, womanhood, and the harsh realities that accompany such singularly human experiences. Director Dea Kulumbegashvili’s debut feature film from 2020 serves up an unconventional mixture of vibrant characters and disconcerting themes that elevates your perception of narrative cinema to an entirely different plane.

A stand-out feature of this film lies in its centripetal force: Ia Sukhitashvili. She plays Yana, the wife of a Jehovah's Witness community leader David, convincingly portrayed by Rati Oneli. Another key character in this vibrant web of interpersonal relationships is a detective portrayed by Kakha Kintsurashvili. Together, these performances ensure that the story remains grounded even while it explores heady conceptual airspaces.

The narrative of Beginning centers around Yana's personal and spiritual disquiet. Hers is a quiet yet profound rebellion, borne out of a deep dissatisfaction with her stifled life in a religiously rigid, rural Georgian community. The inciting event of an arson attack on their place of worship commences a series of traumatic episodes that pushes Yana, and by extension, her family, into a crucible of persecution, doubt, and a discouraged existence at the fringes of society.

Away from the familiar cinematic sequence of actions and reactions, Beginning offers meditative long takes, still shots, and silent moods, eerily underscored by audacious acts of violence. Through this unconventional storytelling, director Kulumbegashvili invites us to ponder upon the vulnerabilities and inherent strengths of her characters. The film's innovative cinematography redefines the traditional concept of 'action,' making it a testament to Kulumbegashvili’s bold, pioneering vision and her exceptional understanding of film aesthetics.

Despite its story being deeply rooted in the Georgian landscape, Beginning reflects universal themes of isolation and spiritual disillusionment. Yana grapples not just with the societal disappointments of her serenity-seeking faith community. Her struggles also echo a deeper, more personal form of spiritual disillusionment. Such internal and external conflicts, hand in hand with the societal constructs of patriarchy and religious conservatism, build an intricate backdrop to this powerful portrayal of an individual woman’s journey.

Sukhitashvili portrays Yana's character with a stoic grace and an understated intensity, capturing the subtleties and quietude of her growing dissatisfaction. Her performance stands out prominently against a backdrop of stark landscapes and muted interiors, transcending linguistic barriers to convey a palpable and universal humanity.

Rati Oneli delivers a compelling performance as David, executing the difficult task of portraying a complex man torn between faith, familial duty, and the insurmountable external pressures of a hostile society. His actions, decisions, and internal battles provide an evocative canvas for the exploration of faith in the face of adversity.

Kakha Kintsurashvili, as the investigating detective, walks a tightrope between indifference and curiosity, generating a tense atmosphere of anticipated conflict and veiled threats. He is the personification of the prejudiced society the family must endure, adding a layer of tension and unease to the film's overall narrative.

In the end, Beginning—though set in a distinctive socio-cultural context—stakes out universal themes, displaying a remarkable understanding of the human psyche. This depth is amplified by the compelling performances of Ia Sukhitashvili, Rati Oneli, and Kakha Kintsurashvili. Their vivid characters personify cultural, social, and personal dichotomies, as they grapple with entrenched beliefs and inherent biases while confronting their fractured selves in a world that seems at odds with their spiritual ambitions.

Beautifully shot, subdued, and minimalist, with sparse dialogue and expansive silences, the film thrives in the tension of its subdued moments and the unsettling calm before the proverbial storm. Beginning is a moving, intriguing exploration of the human spirit, faith, societal expectations, and inherent resilience in the face of adversity, all hinging on a mesmerizing central performance from Ia Sukhitashvili. This film is a testament to the potential of cinema as an instrument for change and a medium for intense and evocative storytelling. The craft of director Dea Kulumbegashvili and the cast ensures that Beginning is, indeed, a new beginning for Georgian cinema.