Since Otar Left

Three generations of Georgian women live together in Tbilisi, their days brightened by the letters they receive from Otar, a beloved son and brother living in Paris. When news of his unexpected death arrives, his niece Ada makes the difficult decision to keep the truth from her mother.

What follows is a tender and quietly moving story about love, loss and the lengths we go to protect those closest to us. Julie Bertuccelli observes her characters with warmth and gentle humour, capturing both the intimacy of family life and the tensions of a society caught between the past and an uncertain future.

Since Otar Left is a poignant portrait of women bound together by affection, memory and the stories they tell one another. Beneath its understated humour lies a deeply human meditation on grief, change and the fragile ways in which we hold on to the people we love.

Languages: French, Georgian and Russian
Subtitles: Estonian

Since Otar Left is presented as part of the Arvo Pärt Centre’s “Pärt & Film” film evenings, taking place for the 16th consecutive year. The programme explores a distinctive aspect of Arvo Pärt’s oeuvre: the use of his music in cinema.

This year’s film evenings are dedicated to the 50th anniversary of Pärt’s piano piece Für Alina, which premiered in 1976. The work features prominently on the soundtrack of the films screened this year, creating a quiet musical thread that connects the stories on screen with Pärt’s unique sound world.

25–27 September 2026

The Arvo Pärt Centre has been organising its film evenings since 2011. The programme is supported by the Estonian Cultural Endowment.