Ever Since I Knew Myself Review: Maka Gogaladze’s Debut Confronts Childhood Scars and Georgia’s Strict Education

In her debut feature Ever Since I Knew Myself, Georgian filmmaker Maka Gogaladze turns the camera on her own mother to unpack the strict upbringing that left lasting scars. Set against the backdrop of Georgia’s education system and its emphasis on collectivism, the documentary opens with Gogaladze recalling how she once threw away all her poems as an act of rebellion against her domineering mother. Through probing, sometimes blunt conversations, the pair revisit painful memories: piano lessons that ended in tears and tough academic exams that haunted the director into adulthood. Their contrasting personalities create palpable tension, yet the film becomes a moving attempt to bridge generational differences. By confronting her mother on screen, Gogaladze transforms personal history into a broader commentary on how authoritarian parenting and rigid schooling shape young minds. The film’s rocky beach imagery and stormy skies mirror the emotional turbulence of these recollections. Ultimately, Ever Since I Knew Myself is not just a family reckoning but a lens on Georgian society’s collective values. It asks whether the wounds of childhood can ever truly heal—and whether honest dialogue can begin the process.