Georgian Film ‘Beginning’ Sweeps San Sebastián Fest Awards on a Night of Triumph For Female Filmmakers
Guy Lodge Film CriticThirteen films were in the running for prizes in this year’s San Sebastián Film Festival competition, but it doesn’t appear to have been much of a contest at all. In a stunning sweep, Georgian writer-director Dea Kulumbegashvili’s debut feature “Beginning” took four of the jury’s seven prizes, including Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Actress for star Ia Sukhitashvili, and finally the Golden Shell for Best Film.It’s a remarkable haul for a harrowing, avant-garde film that has taken critics by surprise this fall festival season, also landing the FIPRESCI critics’ prize in Toronto last week.