Brighton 4th tells a gentle, naturalistic story of parental devotion and sacrifice, unfolding mostly in the former Soviet émigré enclave of Brighton Beach, N.Y. The tragicomedy nabbed a trifecta of awards at the recent Tribeca Festival, including best international narrative feature, screenplay and actor.
It marks the third fiction outing by Georgian helmer Levan Koguashvili and follows a former Olympic wrestling champ from Tbilisi who goes to New York to help his adult son get his life back on track. The tender screenplay by Boris Frumin captures characters living in the new world in much the same fashion as they did in the old. It also offers a touching showcase for Levan Tediashvili, a non-professional actor and real-life wrestler. Boutique art-house distributors should take a look at this festival favorite.
A preamble in Tbilisi establishes the main character, Kakhi (Tediashvili), as a kind, even-tempered, nonjudgmental problem solver as he comes to the aid of his hot-headed, gambling-addicted brother (Temur Gvalia). These qualities will come in handy when Kakhi leaves his injured wife (Laura Rekhviashvili) and beloved dog and takes off for the States with a suitcase full of Georgian cheese to sort out son Soso (Giorgi Tabidze).
Unfortunately, only child Soso, who is meant to be studying for his medical license in the U.S., seems to be more a chip off his uncle’s block. He’s accrued a $14,000 gambling debt to local mobster Amir (Yuriy Zur) and is working a dead-end job as a mover. He also needs an even bigger chunk of change to pay for a green card marriage. But at least social worker Lena (Nadezhda Mikhalkova, the youngest daughter of famed director Nikita Mikhalkov), his potential bride, is a lovely woman.
Despite whatever disappointment Kakhi might feel due to his son’s predicament, director Koguashvili continually shows the deep affection the two men have for each other in convincing vignettes. The most endearing moments include Soso buying his father gloves at a street market, checking to see if they fit and if the elder man will actually wear them, as well as the two of them lying in their bunk beds as Kakhi leads them through an exercise and breathing routine.
The shabby hostel on Brighton Beach’s 4th Street where the father and son stay is run by Kakhi’s sister-in-law (Tsutsa Kapanadze) and replete with fellow Georgians and assorted other former Soviets who share Russian as a lingua franca, as well as a taste for communal eating, drinking and song.
Among the residents making the most of his short screen time is opera singer-turned-hotel doorman Sergo (the late Kakhi Kavsadze, a legend of Soviet and Georgian cinema in his final role). As Kakhi tries to earn money to help his son, he becomes involved in some of the other denizens’ hare-brained schemes, including an absurdist one where they kidnap a Kazakh hotelier (Tolepbergen Baisakalov) who has been cheating his Georgian cleaning ladies.
Brighton 4th (Georgian: მეოთხე ბრაიტონი meotkhe Brait’oni) is a 2021 Georgian drama film directed by Levan Koguashvili. It was selected as the Georgian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards.
Directed by Levan Koguashvili and Cinematography by Academy Award® nominee Phedon Papamichael, film tells a story about Georgian wrestler, Kakhi, who travels to Brooklyn to help his son out of a gambling debt. Official submission of Georgia for the ‘Best International Feature Film’ category of the 94th Academy Awards in 2022.
The film won best picture award at Asian World Film Festival 2021 in Los Angeles. At the Tribeca Film Festival 2021, it won three awards: best international film, best actor for Levan Tediashvili, and best screenplay for Boris Frumin. At FilmFestival Cottbus 2021, the film also won three awards: Outstanding Individual Performance, for Levan Tediashvili; also the FIPRESCI Prize, and the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury.
Brighton 4th (2022)
Directed by: Levan Koguashvili
Starring: Levan Tediashvili, Giorgi Tabidze, Nadezhda Mikhalkova, Kakhi Kavsadze, Yuriy Zur, Temur Gvalia, Laura Rekhviashvili, Tsutsa Kapanadze, Tolepbergen Baisakalov
Screenplay by: Boris Frumin
Cinematography by: Phedon Papamichael
Film Editing by: Sasha Frumin, Davit Kiknadze, Elene Asatiani, Nikolay Metin
Costume Design by: Eka Bichinashvili
Art Direction by: Lasha Zambakhidze
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Kino Lorber
Release Date: June 10, 2021 (Tribeca), January 28, 2022 (United States)
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