Chemi bednieri ojakhi

A beautifully observed, character driven film. A delicate and subtle film that's strength lies in its simplicity. Long takes give great freedom to the actors who embody their roles with a raw honesty. The script is lean but carries an deep emotional undercurrent. Can not recommend enough.

Beautifully bare bones film of life as it can be within the struggle of life, happiness and family for a woman, her husband and children who desires nothing more than her own self. We need many more such creations on film

The Georgian film Chemi Bednieri Ojakhi (2017) was shown in the U. S. with the translated title My Happy Family. It was written and co-directed by Nana Ekvtimishvili. (The other co-director was Simon Groß.)

Ia Shugliashvili portrays Manana, a middle-aged teacher. She lives with her father, mother, husband, son, and daughter in a crowded apartment. There's no real hostility, but people are endlessly bickering

One day she decides to leave her home and rent an apartment. She doesn't ask for a divorce. She just moves out. This isn't exactly normative in the U. S., but it's definitely not normative in Georgia. The plot follows Manana's activities after she has made this move.

Ia Shugliashvili is a professional actor, and has made other films. I think she plays Manana in an excellent, fully believable manner. She has the title role, and the movie rises or falls on her work. I think it rose.

This movie worked on the small screen. It has a solid IMDb rating of 7.4. I thought it was even better than that, and rated it 9.

P. S. The closing scene is fascinating. It leaves matters open to interpretation.

A very simple story: a woman in her fifties decides to leave her family for no other reason than wanting to be alone.Her children being grown-ups she decides to stop playing the various roles society (through her family) imposes on her: mother, daughter, wife, sister... Besides its Intelligent script and direction, top use of (Georgian) music

I came across this film by accident while searching for something new to view on Netflix. It was such a simple story about the dynamics of a family, centered around a middle-aged woman, that it pulled me in from the start. I felt like I could have been watching a documentary. The acting was spot on and the one shot camera sequences were captivating. Simply a great view!