Yesterday’s press screening of Georgian writer/director Dea Kulumbegashvili’s “April” was met with a ton of walkouts, but those who stayed are firmly planted in the pro camp when it comes to this abortion drama.
What we have here is a potential contender to win the Golden Lion. Reviews for “April” are phenomenal, IndieWire (A-), Screen, Cineuropa, Variety, The Guardian (4/5), IONCINEMA (4.5/5).
These raves have catapulted “April” near the top of the Golden Lion race. It seems to be a very weak Venice competition this year, with only Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist” getting overwhelming acclaim, and my money is still on Corbet, but Kulumbegashvili has clearly shaken things up a bit. Also, watch out for Walter Salles’ “I’m Still Here,” which is my current dark horse pick.
“April” tackles Nina, who works in the only small hospital of a provincial town as an OB-GYN. Single and in abstinence from personal relationships, she is unconditionally devoted to her Hippocratic oath. When a newborn dies within seconds of being delivered under her supervision, she is accused of wrongdoings. Under investigation, every detail of Nina’s personal and professional life is being scrutinized.
As mentioned, the film’s press screening had walkouts galore, and the Letterboxd reviews were quite brutal, but critics seem to be struck by this film’s bleak and uncompromising nature, which is being compared to Apichatpong Weerasethakul‘a brand of “slow cinema”.
Kulumbegashvili’s blistering debut feature, “Beginning,” had the misfortune of premiering in 2020, smack dab in the middle of the pandemic. It was supposed to be in Cannes competition before the festival had to infamously cancel the event.
In my 2020 review of “Beginning,” I called Kulumbegashvili a “glorious new voice” in world cinema. Her film was composed of just a handful of medium static shots. She continuously shifted the mood of her film - it could go from meditative to angry to downright provocative in the span of a few scenes.
