April Trailer: Dea Kulumbegashvili's Captivating Venice Prize Winner Releases, Naturally, in April

      After her visually impressive debut *Beginning*, Dea Kulumbegashvili returned last year with her second film, *April*, which won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival and is set to be released in theaters this coming April. The film follows the story of an obstetrician who provides abortions to women in her community, creating a captivating and intense journey that was also featured at TIFF, NYFF, and Sundance. As its April 25 release from Metrograph Pictures approaches, the first U.S. trailer and poster have been unveiled.

      Here is the synopsis: “Winner of the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival, acclaimed director Dea Kulumbegashvili (Beginning) presents her latest innovative work, *April*. Obstetrician Nina faces accusations of malpractice when a newborn dies during delivery. The subsequent investigation jeopardizes her secret side job: performing abortions for local women. While Nina is deeply devoted to her patients, she must carefully navigate her precarious situation as a societal outcast in a world that desperately requires her services. Set against the stunningly beautiful Georgian landscape, Kulumbegashvili’s insightful second feature employs a captivating visual and auditory style to create an immersive exploration of human resilience.”

      In her review from Venice, Savina Petkova noted, “*Beginning* was produced by Carlos Reygadas, and *April* features the name of Luca Guadagnino from his company Frenesy, but Kulumbegashvili's filmmaking is so unique that it stands on its own merit. It indeed communicates, but the director's aversion to traditional cinematic techniques (or any linguistic, semantic, discursive shortcuts) is reflected in her reinvention of form.”

      Watch the trailer below and check out our interview with the director here.