Depuis qu'Otar est parti... (2003)

Director:

Julie Bertucelli

Writers:

Julie Bertucelli (written by) &
Bernard Renucci (written by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

17 September 2003 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

For a mother, a sister and a niece, nothing is the same . . . Since Otar Left [UK Quad Poster]

Plot:

The one joy in the lives of a mother and daughter comes from the regular letters sent to them from Paris from the family's adored son...

Plot Keywords:

Gay | Letter | Market Place | Senior Citizen | Georgian Immigrant

Awards:

11 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Esther Gorintin	...	Eka
Nino Khomasuridze	...	Marina
Dinara Drukarova	...	Ada
Temur Kalandadze	...	Tengiz (as Temour Kalandadze)
Rusudan Bolqvadze	...	Rusiko (as Roussoudan Bolkvadze)
Sasha Sarishvili	...	Alexi (as Sacha Sarichvili)
Duta Skhirtladze	...	Niko (as Douta Skhirtladze)
Abdellah Moundy	...	Le berbère (as Abdallah Moundy)
Mzia Eristavi	...	Dora
Misha Eristavi	...	Fils Dora
Zoura Natrochvili	...	Voisin (Mika)
Alexandre Makhorablichvili	...	Fonctionnaire
Micha Moudjiri	...	Directeur usine
Jacques Fleury	...	Homme d'affaire 1
Frédéric Payen	...	Homme d'affaire 2
Manon Abacjodze	...	Postière 1
Manana Taralachvili	...	Postière 2
Irina Toukhoulova	...	Professuer fac
Médéa Roinichvili	...	Voisine
Iago Demetrachvili	...	Père Alexi
Gotcha Darbaidze	...	Otar en photo
Vaja Jalagania	...	Photographe
Malamine Sissokho	...	Chauffeur taxi
Sarah Chaumette	...	Hôtesse de l'air

Directed by
Julie Bertucelli

Writing credits
Julie Bertucelli		(written by) &
Bernard Renucci		(written by)
Roger Bohbot		(adaptation)
Alda Engoian		(translation) and
Gotcha Djavakhichvili		(translation) and
Miguel Machalski		(translation)

Produced by
Sébastien Delloye	....	co-producer: Entre Chien et loup
Diana Elbaum	....	co-producer: Entre Chien et loup
Yael Fogiel	....	producer
Laetitia Gonzalez	....	associate producer
Jana Sardlishvili	....	executive producer: Studio 99 (as Jana Sardlichvili)

Cinematography by
Christophe Pollock

Film Editing by
Emmanuelle Castro

Casting by
Stéphane Batut

Production Design by
Emmanuel de Chauvigny

Costume Design by
Nathalie Raoul

Makeup Department
Msia Kentshiashvili	....	hair stylist (as Mzia Kentchiachvili)
Msia Kentshiashvili	....	makeup artist (as Mzia Kentchiachvili)
Françoise Ben Soussan	....	hair stylist: Paris
Françoise Ben Soussan	....	makeup artist: Paris

Production Management
Sylvie Caillabet	....	post-production manager
Mat Troi Day	....	production manager
Jean-Philippe Moreteau	....	assistant unit manager
Regis Saillard	....	unit manager (as Régis Saillard)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Elsa Amiel	....	second assistant director: Paris
Marine Kulumbegashvili	....	first assistant director (as Marina Kouloumbegachvili)
Gabriele Roux	....	assistant director

Art Department
Bruno Albanti	....	assistant set decorator: Paris
Besarion Gelashvili	....	assistant art director (as Bessarion Guelachvili)
Gia Laperadze	....	assistant art director (as Guia Laperadze)
Virginie Noël	....	set decorator: Paris
Mamuka Tkeshelashvili	....	set designer (as Mamouka Tkechelachvili)

Sound Department
Thomas Gauder	....	sound mixer
Aline Gavroy	....	foley recordist
Olivier Goinard	....	sound editor
Olivier Goinard	....	supervising sound editor
Henri Morelle	....	sound
Stéphane Morelle	....	sound assistant
Arnaud Rolland	....	assistant sound editor
Arnaud Rolland	....	sound editor
Philippe van Leer	....	foley artist (as Philippe Van Leer)

Camera and Electrical Department
Arnand Cousin	....	electrician: Paris
Lucilio Da Costa	....	electrician (as Lucilio Da Costa Pais)
Eric Lesage	....	electrician
Cyril Liberman	....	camera operator (as Cyrille Liberman)
Olivier Regent	....	chief electrician (as Olivier Régent)

Casting Department
Marion Touitou	....	casting: children
Isabelle Ungaro	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dolores Gonzalez	....	wardrobe (as Dolorès Gonzalez)
Keti Palavandishvili	....	wardrobe (as Ketty Palavandichvili)
Filippa Russo	....	chief costumer

Editorial Department
Serge Anthony	....	grader
Julie Delord	....	assistant editor
Thomas Glaser	....	assistant editor
Bruno Patin	....	color timer

Music Department
Dato Evgenidze	....	composer: song "Poissons"
Vladimir Spivakov	....	musician: piano for Pärt's "Spiegel im Spiegel"

Other crew
Samantha Mialet	....	production assistant
Maria Moutot-Tolomio	....	location manager
Sandrine Pillon	....	production assistant
Els Rastelli	....	script supervisor
Rémi Roy	....	administrator
Martine Vidalenc	....	production assistant

Thanks
Jean-Louis Bertucelli	....	thanks (as Jean-Louis Bertuccelli)
Emmanuel Finkiel	....	thanks
Otar Iosseliani	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Les Films du Poisson
• arte France Cinéma (co-production)
• Entre Chien et Loup (co-production)
• Studio 99 Filmproduktion (co-production)
• Canal+ (participation)
• Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC) (support)
• Télédistributeurs Wallons (support)
• Radio Télévision Belge Francophone (RTBF) (in collaboration with)

Distributors

• Celluloid Dreams (worldwide sales)
• Alfa Films (2004) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2005) (Argentina) (VHS)
• CinemArt (2005) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Cinemien (2004) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Haut et Court
• Mongrel Media (2004) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Movienet (Germany)
• Toshiba Entertainment (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• United King Films (Israel)
• Zeitgeist Films (2004) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• esse&bi cinematografica distribuzione (2003) (Italy) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• Centre du Cinéma et de l'Audiovisuel et des Télédistributeurs Wallons  support (as Centre du Cinéma et de l'Audiovisuel)
• Centre du Cinéma et de l'Audiovisuel et des Télédistributeurs Wallons  supported by (as Centre du Cinéma et de l'Audiovisuel)
• Ministère de la Communauté Française de Belgique  support (as Communauté Française de Belgique)
• Ministère de la Communauté Française de Belgique  supported by (as Communauté Française de Belgique)

Also Known As:

Since Otar Left (Australia) (International: English title)

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

France | Belgium

Language:

Georgian | French | Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | Dolby SR

Certification:

Australia:M | Germany:o.Al. | Italy:T | Netherlands:AL | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:Unrated | Argentina:Atp | Brazil:14 | Czech Republic:12

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Company:

Les Films du Poisson

That's life ...

Unusual film, in that there is no title role as such, and we never do get to meet Otar. We are transported into the everyday lives of three generations of women - grandmother Eka, her daughter Marina, and granddaughter Ada - in their home in what is the genteel decay of Tblisi in the former Soviet republic of Georgia. The scene is set with a clever portrayal of relationships between the three, with the typical small household tensions that normally arise.

But the common favourite in this extended family group is Eka's son, Otar, who is in Paris, making his own way in the world, and regularly contacting those at home by phone and letter. Eka, especially, lives for these contacts from her Otar, so when word reaches the other two that he has been killed in an industrial accident, Marina decides to conceal the fact from her mother and play the lie that he is still alive. Two influencing factors come through regarding that choice of action - firstly, Marina is unsure her mother would survive the shock of hearing of Otar's death, but secondly, we suspect Marina herself is unable to summon the courage to pass on the news. Ada unwillingly agrees to all of this at first, but it becomes an increasing burden on both of them as you would expect. Otar's workmate, Niko, turns up at the Tblisi residence with a suitcase of his personal effects, but Ada manages to convey to him the existence of the lie they are playing before he can reveal Otar's demise in the grandmother's presence. Old Eka is no fool though, and you get the impression she knows all is not as it should be. In a rash moment, she decides to take a trip to France to see her Otar, sells the few family heirlooms of value, and purchases three tickets for them all to travel to Paris. The viewer knows that eventually she will become aware that Otar is dead, but the manner of this, and her reaction towards her daughter and granddaughter, are quite unpredictable and beautiful. It is from here on that she proves to be the tower of strength for the other two. Another nice twist awaits us at the film's conclusion. This is a film full of poignant moments and the stuff of life, and coupled with superb acting by the three attractive women one can only endorse its 2003 Grand Prize at Cannes.