Netflix set to premiere ’My Happy Family’ as first Georgian film on platform

Award-winning feature My Happy Family by filmmakers Nana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Gross is set to become the first Georgian film featured on Netflix cinema platform this week.

The film’s story of a Georgian woman seeking a new stage in her life will go on screens of viewers of the popular platform that serves nearly 110 million users in 190 countries.

Ahead of the Sundance Film Festival-premiered feature’s debut on the platform it was reviewed by the Village Voice newsweekly website.

Village Voice ran the feature with a headline "The Best Film of the Year Isn’t Coming to Theaters — It’s Coming to Netflix This Week”.

There isn’t a single second of ‘My Happy Family’ that doesn’t ring as achingly true”, said the piece by Bilge Ebiri.

Ekvtimishvili and Gross’ film follows Georgian literature teacher Manana on the eve of her birthday as she announces to her family and relatives that she will be moving to live separately from them.

The script details the experience of several generations living under the same roof, with conservative family traditions set against the independently-minded protagonist.

Nana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Gross have claimed nearly a dozen awards for their feature since its release. Photo: My Happy Family film Facebook page.

The film has won nearly a dozen prizes at international festivals since its premiere in December 2016.

The accolades include awards at the Hong Kong International Film Festival and goEast International Film Festival.

In the wake of the film’s release, The New York Times named its directorial duo among nine emerging filmmakers to watch.

Netflix acquired global distribution rights for My Happy Family earlier this year.