13 Tzameti is a 2005 film written and directed by Georgian filmmaker Géla Babluani. Tzameti is the Georgian word for thirteen. 13 Tzameti is the feature length directorial debut for Babluani. It also marks the acting debut of his younger brother Georges Babluani, who plays the film's protagonist Sébastien.
A destitute immigrant worker steals an envelope containing
instructions for a mysterious job that could pay out a fortune.
Following the instructions, the young man unwittingly becomes trapped
in a dark and dangerous situation.
What's odd to me is that the name of the movie then translates into Thirteen Thirteen?!
Plot
The film follows twenty-two year-old Sébastien, a Georgian immigrant
living in France and working construction jobs to support his poor
family. Sébastien works on the home of Godon, a feeble morphine-addict
who is under police surveillance. After Godon dies of an overdose, his
widow informs Sébastien that she is unable to pay him. Sébastien then
overhears the widow talking with one of Godon's friends, describing a
mysterious "job" that Godon had lined up before his death. The
destitute Sébastien steals an envelope containing the instructions for
the job. The police begin following Sébastien as he uses the train
ticket contained in the envelope.
The police lose track of Sébastien as he follows the instructions
and is brought to a secluded house in a forest. At the house, a deadly
gambling event is being organized by a powerful criminal. Though
Sébastien's contacts immediately recognize that he is not Godon and has
no idea what he is getting into, they force him to participate in the
game. Thirteen men identified by number must undergo a series of
Russian roulette games, arranging themselves into a circle and pointing
their revolver at the man in front of them. Spectators place bets on
who will survive. Sébastien, as #13, survives the first round and fires
his gun only after threatened with death. On the second round, in which
two bullets are placed in each gun, Sébastien survives only because the
man behind him is killed before he could fire. On the third round, with
three bullets in each gun, Sebastien survives along with three other
men.
Though he believes that he is finished, Sébastien is selected for
the final "duel" game against #6, a cruel man who is managed by his own
brother. Sébastien wins the duel and survives the game. He collects
€850,000 out of the winnings his handlers have made from him, then
flees the house. Fearing for his life, he sends the money home in a
parcel before the police catch up with him. He tells the detective that
he was turned away from the game and received no money, but gives the
license plate number of a particularly unpleasant gambler in
attendance. The police release him, but the brother of #6 spots him as
he boards a train. The brother shoots Sébastien and steals his empty
satchel. Sébastien collapses into a seat as the train begins to move.
The film has an 84% approval rating of critics tracked by Rotten Tomatoes,
which described the critical consensus as "this starkly minimalist
nail-biter of a thriller relentlessly builds up the tension and keeps
the audience guessing."
The film won the World Cinema Jury Prize at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival. It also won two awards at the 62nd Venice Film Festival.
An American remake of the film is currently in production,
but Babluani intends to "change a lot of the storyline" to avoid merely
reshooting the original film. He has also indicated that he intends to
shoot the remake in color (screening at the University of Notre Dame,
23 Feb 2007). The film will star Mickey Rourke, Ray Winstone, Jason Statham, Sam Riley, 50 Cent and Ray Liotta.
Very interesting movie. I watched it on World Movies and I was held to the screen because of the movie. Worth a watch, people!
A destitute immigrant worker steals an envelope containing
instructions for a mysterious job that could pay out a fortune.
Following the instructions, the young man unwittingly becomes trapped
in a dark and dangerous situation.
What's odd to me is that the name of the movie then translates into Thirteen Thirteen?!
Plot
The film follows twenty-two year-old Sébastien, a Georgian immigrant
living in France and working construction jobs to support his poor
family. Sébastien works on the home of Godon, a feeble morphine-addict
who is under police surveillance. After Godon dies of an overdose, his
widow informs Sébastien that she is unable to pay him. Sébastien then
overhears the widow talking with one of Godon's friends, describing a
mysterious "job" that Godon had lined up before his death. The
destitute Sébastien steals an envelope containing the instructions for
the job. The police begin following Sébastien as he uses the train
ticket contained in the envelope.
The police lose track of Sébastien as he follows the instructions
and is brought to a secluded house in a forest. At the house, a deadly
gambling event is being organized by a powerful criminal. Though
Sébastien's contacts immediately recognize that he is not Godon and has
no idea what he is getting into, they force him to participate in the
game. Thirteen men identified by number must undergo a series of
Russian roulette games, arranging themselves into a circle and pointing
their revolver at the man in front of them. Spectators place bets on
who will survive. Sébastien, as #13, survives the first round and fires
his gun only after threatened with death. On the second round, in which
two bullets are placed in each gun, Sébastien survives only because the
man behind him is killed before he could fire. On the third round, with
three bullets in each gun, Sebastien survives along with three other
men.
Though he believes that he is finished, Sébastien is selected for
the final "duel" game against #6, a cruel man who is managed by his own
brother. Sébastien wins the duel and survives the game. He collects
€850,000 out of the winnings his handlers have made from him, then
flees the house. Fearing for his life, he sends the money home in a
parcel before the police catch up with him. He tells the detective that
he was turned away from the game and received no money, but gives the
license plate number of a particularly unpleasant gambler in
attendance. The police release him, but the brother of #6 spots him as
he boards a train. The brother shoots Sébastien and steals his empty
satchel. Sébastien collapses into a seat as the train begins to move.
The film has an 84% approval rating of critics tracked by Rotten Tomatoes,
which described the critical consensus as "this starkly minimalist
nail-biter of a thriller relentlessly builds up the tension and keeps
the audience guessing."
The film won the World Cinema Jury Prize at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival. It also won two awards at the 62nd Venice Film Festival.
An American remake of the film is currently in production,
but Babluani intends to "change a lot of the storyline" to avoid merely
reshooting the original film. He has also indicated that he intends to
shoot the remake in color (screening at the University of Notre Dame,
23 Feb 2007). The film will star Mickey Rourke, Ray Winstone, Jason Statham, Sam Riley, 50 Cent and Ray Liotta.
Very interesting movie. I watched it on World Movies and I was held to the screen because of the movie. Worth a watch, people!
