Since Otar Left

The most impressive directorial debut of 2004 was Since Otar Left, which marked the arrival of a remarkable new filmmaking talent in French director and co-writer Julie Bertuccelli. As a former assistant director to Bertrand Tavernier and Krzysztof Kieslowski, Bertuccelli developed a fine appreciation for emotionally and thematically rich filmmaking, and she applies those lessons to this thoughtful drama about secrets and lies--or rather, compassionate deception--between a daughter, mother, and grandmother in the Georgian (former Soviet Republic) city of Tbilisi. Grandma Eka (played by 90-year-old Esther Gorintin) is unaware that her son Otar has died in Paris, for the simple reason that her daughter Marina and granddaughter Ada have decided to keep Otar's accidental death a secret to spare the very old woman unnecessary anguish. Of course, this suppression of the truth has emotional repercussions for all of them, and the way Bertuccelli handles this well-intentioned but potentially harmful predicament is nothing less than breathtaking, while also deftly subtle and keenly observant, as she limns the relationships between these three strong, admirable women. DVD extras include a very personal and enjoyable 55-minute "making-of" documentary, as well as deleted scenes. Highly recommended. (J. Shannon)