April () is a 2024 drama film written and directed by Dea Kulumbegashvili. It stars Ia Sukhitashvili, Kakha Kintsurashvili and Merab Ninidze.
The film had its world premiere at the 81st Venice International Film Festival, where it won the Special Jury Prize.
Premise Nina, an obstetrician in rural Georgia who aids patients seeking abortions despite legal prohibition, must defend her values and actions when she is accused of negligence and subject to investigation.
Cast Ia Sukhitashvili as Nina Kakha Kintsurashvili as David Merab Ninidze as the chief physician
Production Following the success of her first feature film Beginning, Kulumbegashvili was awarded a 2022 Baumi Script Development Award to begin work on her next feature, then titled Historia, about a Georgian obstetrician who provides illegal abortions. That December, Cineuropa reported that filming would commence the following March with financial support from Arte France Cinéma. It was shot by Georgian cinematographer Arseni Khachaturan, who also shot Beginning, on 35mm film.
Release April was acquired for international sales by Goodfellas, then known as Wild Bunch International. By December 2022, the project was slated for a 2024 release date, though Screen Daily reported in May 2023 that the film was expected to premiere at that year's Cannes Film Festival.
In July 2024, April was announced as a main competition entry at the 81st Venice International Film Festival. It has been selected for the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2024 under the World Cinema section.
Reception Critical reception Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 86 out of 100, based on 18 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".
In June 2025, IndieWire ranked the film at number 53 on its list of "The 100 Best Movies of the 2020s (So Far)."
Accolades Award Ceremony date Category Recipient(s) Result Venice International Film Festival 7 September 2024 Golden Lion Dea Kulumbegashvili Special Jury Prize San Sebastián International Film Festival 28 September 2024 Zabaltegi-Tabakalera Award April BFI London Film Festival 20 October 2024 Best Film Asia Pacific Screen Awards 30 November 2024 Best Film Best Director Dea Kulumbegashvili Best Screenplay Best Performance Ia Sukhitashvili Best Cinematography Arseni Khachaturan TOKYO FILMeX 30 November 2024 Grand Prize April European Film Awards 7 December 2024 European University Film Award Dea Kulumbegashvili Singapore International Film Festival 8 December 2024 Best Screenplay Vilnius International Film Festival23 March 2025Best FilmDea Kulumbegashvili
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