Georgian film included in American list of best films of 2017

The popular American publication TheWrap has included the Georgian film ‘My Happy Family’, directed by Nana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Gross, in its list of the best films of 2017.

‘My Happy Family’ came in at number ten on the list which was comprised by TheWrap reviews editor Alonso Duralde.

First place went to ‘Call Me by Your Name’ by Italian director Luca Guadagnino. In second place was the coming-of-age tale ‘Lady Bird’ by American director Greta Gerwig.

In third place was the Cold War era fantasy ‘The Shape of Water’ directed by Guillermo del Toro. The film took the lead at the Golden Globes with seven nominations. The British Film ‘Their Finest’, directed by Lone Scherfig, and the American horror film ‘Get Out’ by Jordan Peel rounded out the top five.

• ‘My Happy Family’, a Georgian and German co-produced film is the second joint project by directors Ekvtimishvili and Gross. The film premiered on 22 January 2017 at the Sundance International Film Festival where it received high ratings from critics. Since then the film has won prizes at various international film festivals.
• The film tells the story of a family of three generations living together under one roof. The film’s main character is 52-year-old Georgian language and literature teacher Marina Mkheidze (played by Iya Shugliashvili) who decides to make drastic changes to her mundane life. She moves out of her family’s home, leaving behind her adult children and husband Soso (Merab Ninidze). Marina has no ulterior motive other than just wanting a quiet place where she can relax, sit by a window, read a book, abandon the perpetual duties of being a mother and wife and just be herself.