Beginning (2021): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Beginning is a 2021 drama directed by Dea Kulumbegashvili, starring Ia Sukhitashvili as Yana, Rati Oneli and Kakha Kintsurashvili. It runs 2 hours 10 minutes and earned $1,477 worldwide. It won 1 award from 1 nomination, including FIPRESCI Award at the TIFF 2020. Critics gave it 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and 81 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.6/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 10m (130 min)
- Director
- Dea Kulumbegashvili
- Genre
- Drama
- Original language
-
Georgian
- Studio
- MUBI
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Beginning About?
The premise of Beginning without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
When chaos descends upon a secluded Georgian village, a missionary finds his beliefs challenged as fanatics desecrate a Jehovah's Witnesses sanctuary. The destruction unleashes a profound crisis of faith, forcing him to confront his purpose and embark on a journey of self-discovery and the possibility of redemption amidst the devastation.
Beginning Themes & Keywords
· 37 tags- jehovah's witness
- arson
- male full frontal nudity
- georgia europe
- religious community
- extremism
- struggle
- rape
- sexual assault
- religion
- religious community meeting
- fire
+25 more Show fewer
- building on fire
- burned down building
- strong sexual language
- female nudity
- undressing
- baptism
- christening
- married couple
- husband wife relationship
- audio recording
- violence
- sexual violence
- river
- child in a bathtub
- bath
- poisoning one's own son
- cocktail
- static take
- long take
- written by director
- one word title
- female rear nudity
- religious
- title directed by female
- cannes 2020
Beginning Cast & Characters
Ia Sukhitashvili leads the cast as Yana, with Rati Oneli as David and Kakha Kintsurashvili as Alex (The Detective). Directed by Dea Kulumbegashvili.
-
Director Dea Kulumbegashvili
-
Ia Sukhitashvili as Yana -
Rati Oneli as David -
Kakha Kintsurashvili as Alex (The Detective)
Beginning Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Beginning 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and 81 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.6/10. Our Echo Score gives it 75/100, strongest in art & craft (90) and weakest in rewatch factor (45).
Beginning Echo Score Breakdown
Beginning offers a confidently realized debut that excels in visual storytelling while navigating a measured emotional terrain. The film’s striking composition and precise direction receive widespread praise for their evocative framing and thematic clarity. Critics note the film’s philosophical depth and compelling interrogation of autonomy, though some find its pacing and introspective focus challenging. Despite its demanding tone and limited rewatch appeal, the work’s cohesive artistry and deliberate narrative approach establish a memorable cinematic experience.
Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.
- Art & Craft 90
Art and craft stand out as a primary strength, with arresting visual compositions and meticulous directorial control. In terms of cinematography, the film employs stark framing and measured movement to reinforce thematic tension. Production design and editing maintain an understated palette that accentuates narrative focus. The result is a consistently compelling aesthetic that anchors the film’s formal precision.
- Character & Emotion 85
Character and emotion are conveyed with subtlety and restrained depth, anchoring the protagonist’s inner life with quiet intensity. When it comes to acting, performances balance controlled expressiveness with moments of vulnerability, fostering a sense of intimacy despite limited exposition. Emotional resonance emerges through nuanced interactions rather than overt dramatics. Overall, the character work sustains a thoughtful portrayal that occasionally feels distant but remains intellectually engaging.
- Story & Flow 75
The story and flow display thematic ambition, engaging with complex ideas but sometimes sacrificing momentum. Plot coherence is maintained through deliberate pacing and clear philosophical stakes, while originality emerges in the film’s interrogation of religious oppression. However, a measured tempo and abstract dialogue can hinder engagement, leading to uneven audience investment. In sum, the narrative offers a thought-provoking framework that feels intellectually rigorous yet intermittently challenging to follow.
- Sensory Experience 80
The sensory experience is defined by a cohesive visual style that strongly reinforces the film’s thematic concerns. In terms of visual design, muted color palettes and controlled lighting create an immersive intellectual atmosphere. Soundtrack and sound design receive minimal emphasis, allowing silence to contribute to narrative weight. Altogether, the film achieves a powerful visual-auditory balance that privileges imagery, though its aural dimension remains subdued.
- Rewatch Factor 45
The rewatch factor remains modest, reflecting the film’s demanding tone and polarizing approach. Replay value is limited by the introspective pacing and abstract narrative structure, which can feel challenging on subsequent viewings. Emotional depth and formal rigor may reward dedicated viewers, but overall enjoyment tends to hinge on personal engagement with its philosophical themes. Consequently, the film offers moderate lasting appeal rather than broad rewatchability.
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IMDb 6.6 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 91% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 72%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 81 Metascore
User score 7.2
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 80% User score
See on TMDB -
Letterboxd 3.6 /5
32 ratings
See on Letterboxd
Beginning Plot Summary
What happens in Beginning from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
[Ia Sukhitashvili] as Yana, the wife of a Jehovah’s Witness religious leader, [Rati Oneli] as David, finds herself increasingly unsettled by life inside a rigid, patriarchal religious community after their Kingdom Hall is firebombed by violent extremists. The event acts as a catalyst for a quiet, painful unraveling, seen through Yana’s interior life as she tries to voice her distress while David repeatedly tells her that something is wrong with her. The shock of the attack exposes a widening gap between her private reality and the world she shares with her husband, who struggles to understand her perspective and to acknowledge the depth of her fear and pain.
Full summary
The whole story of Beginning, scene by scene
Beginning Box Office
Beginning grossed $1,477 worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$1.5K
- International
- $1.5K
Beginning Awards & Nominations
Beginning won 1 award from 1 nomination, including FIPRESCI Award at the TIFF 2020.
1 win1 nomination1 ceremony
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TIFF 2020 1 win · 1 nomination- Won FIPRESCI Award – Dea Kulumbegashvili
How Well Do You Know Beginning?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Which actress plays the role of Yana in the film?
Beginning Also Known As
13 alternative titles, including “Au commencement” and “Dasatskisi”.
- Also known as
-
- Au commencement
- Dasatskisi
- Dasatskisi (Beginning)
- 비기닝
- Начало
- Початок
- 开始
- Başlangıç
- Začátek
- Początek
- 寂靜之死
- BEGINNING ビギニング
+1 more Show fewer
- Εν Αρχή
Seen Beginning?
Movies Like Beginning
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Child of God, The Beginning and The End We Start From.
Beginning FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of Beginning, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Beginning?
Beginning runs 2 hours 10 minutes (130 minutes).
When was Beginning released?
Beginning was released on January 29, 2021.
Who directed Beginning?
Beginning was directed by Dea Kulumbegashvili.
More films by Dea Kulumbegashvili Who is in the cast of Beginning?
Beginning stars Ia Sukhitashvili as Yana, Rati Oneli as David and Kakha Kintsurashvili as Alex (The Detective).
How much did Beginning make at the box office?
Beginning grossed $1,477 worldwide.
How is Beginning rated?
Beginning has 6.6/10 on IMDb, 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, 81 on Metacritic and 80% on TMDB.
What awards did Beginning win?
Beginning won 1 award from 1 nomination, including FIPRESCI Award at the TIFF 2020.
Does Beginning have a post-credit scene?
No. Beginning has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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