Georgian film ‘God of Happiness’ wins top award at German festival

A Georgian feature film collected the principal award of the 37th Biberach Film Festival in Germany today after garnering praise for its plot and actors’ performance.

God of Happiness by director Dito Tsintsadze was singled out by the Festival Jury for the Golden Beaver prize from 10 productions that featured in the November 4-8 film festival. Over the course of festival 13,000 visitors took part in the 37th annual festival.

Judges noted the quality of the film’s story-telling – involving Georgian actors Lasha Bakradze and Tina Meliava alongside a German cast – as a major factor in deciding to award it the primary prize.

It seems like a little story you think you’re familiar with but always with exceptional situations, poetic ideas and a laconic in which life seems like a game,” jury member Jürgen Haase said while speaking about Tsintsadze’s piece.

The film centred on Giorgi, an unemployed actor from Georgia who lived in Germany, as he encountered his 15-year-old daughter for the first time in 10 years and attempted to portray himself as having a successful life.

Looking ahead God of Happiness was scheduled to screen at the Georgian Embassy in Germany on November 11, after which visitors were invited to a discussion with the director.