Since Otar Left 2004

The story revolves around three women who share a cramped apartment in one of Tbilisi’s oldest districts. They face the harsh realities of contemporary Georgian life, grappling with frequent power outages and a crumbling infrastructure. Eka, the matriarch, has a tumultuous relationship with her daughter Marina, though she is very close to her granddaughter Ada. However, the one she feels most connected to is her son, Otar.

Even though Otar Gogebashvili is a qualified doctor, he has recently relocated to France due to the economic struggles faced by newly independent Georgia. There, he works illegally in construction to support the three women back home. Eka eagerly anticipates Otar’s frequent phone calls and the financial aid he provides. The generational divide between them is evident: Eka harbors a fondness for French culture and speaks the language fluently but remains a staunch Stalinist even in 2002, contrasting with Ada, who dreams of embracing Western ideals and following her uncle’s lead to the West. Marina, although she holds a degree, resorts to selling family heirlooms at the market due to the prevalent unemployment.

Their lives take a dramatic turn when Marina receives daunting news from Otar’s friend Niko, who had traveled to France with him. The heartbreaking news is that Otar has passed away in an accident. Eka, being elderly and fragile, could be devastated by the shock, and both Marina and Ada fear it could be fatal. Drawing inspiration from the German film, Good Bye Lenin!, they make a decision to mask the tragic truth of Otar’s death.

To maintain this façade, Ada takes it upon herself to forge letters from Otar. However, as time passes, Eka grows increasingly anxious about the scarcity of phone calls and financial support in the letters. Despite their best efforts to reassure her with excuses, the pressure mounts. As Ada increasingly struggles with the moral implications of their deceit, Eka makes a surprising decision—she expresses a desire to visit Otar.

In a bid to comply, Ada and Marina reluctantly accompany her after she sells her rare inherited French books to fund the trip. Upon arriving in France, Eka embarks on a search for her son, eventually discovering his old apartment where his neighbors inform her of the truth. Overwhelmed by grief, Eka initially breaks down but soon regains her composure. Rather than confronting her daughter and granddaughter with the reality, she presents them with an alternative narrative, suggesting that Otar might have opted to move to America to escape the challenges he faced in France.

As the story nears its end, at the airport, Ada decides to linger behind to purchase a magazine while Eka and Marina head for boarding. In a bittersweet conclusion, it becomes evident that Ada has chosen to remain in France, leading to a poignant farewell shared through the departure gate’s glass windows.