October 8, 2007
I was flicking through the cable movie channels the other day, and happened to stumble across a little gem of a movie called 13 Tzameti by Georgian Director Géla Babluani. The film won the World Cinema Jury Prize for a Dramatic motion picture at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival… and deservedly so…
This thriller has a Film Noir feel to it… is beautifully shot… entirely in black and white… and the only spoken language is French…
As most of you will learn to appreciate… I love a movie with a clever premise… or with unpredictable, subtle twists… and this film did not disappoint… I had absolutely no clue where it was going…
In fact… if you do want to see this film… I urge you not to read any spoilers. I’m not talking a “Sixth Sense” or “Crying Game” kind of twist here… but you will know what I am talking about the moment you realise what is going on…
Sorry for being cryptic… but I refuse to give the plot away… the only thing I must warn you about… is that it is not for the squeamish or faint-hearted… so I won’t hold a gun to your head to make you watch it…
Here is a synopsis:
Twenty-two-year-old Sebastien leads an impoverished life with his immigrant family constantly struggling to support them. While repairing the roof of a neighbor’s house, he overhears a conversation about an expected package which promises to make the household rich.
Sensing the opportunity of a lifetime, Sebastien intercepts the package which contains a series of specific instructions. Following the clues, he assumes a false identity and manages to slip through the grasp of the enclosing police as he ventures deeper and deeper into the countryside.
The closer he gets to his destination and the more people he meets along the way, the less he understands about what he is looking for. Ultimately, he comes face to face with a ring of clandestine high stakes gamblers placing bets on the outcome of a game with uncompromising rules.
It is a winner-take-all thriller, where an unfortunate young man is transformed into a contestant with no way out save his luck.
I cannot wait to see Babluani’s next foray… 8/10
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