13 Tzameti (2005)

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Directed by Géla Babluani.

Starring Vania Vilers, Aurélien Recoing, Pascal Bongard, Fred Ulysse, Nicolas Pignon, Augustin Legrand, Philippe Passon, George Babluani, Pascal Bougard.

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An aimless 20-year-old with a penchant for following the rules receives a mysterious set of instructions that lead him down a path from which he may never return in director Géla Babluani's tense tale of death and chance. Sébastien has come into possession of a train ticket and a mysterious set of instructions. Though he is unsure of exactly what fate awaits him when he arrives at his destination, one thing is certain: these items were most certainly not meant for him. Bored by his uneventful existence and hungering for something new, Sébastien boards the outbound train and takes his first bold steps into an unknown future. But the world can be a cruel and unforgiving place filled with unfeeling men to whom human life means little more than a lost wager, and if Sébastien is to make it through his harrowing journey alive he must keep his wits about him and pray that luck is on his side. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

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Reviews and discussions

Re:13 Tzameti
by unclefestering in Spout Mavens

hasn't rated it.

"13 Tzameti Directed by Géla Babluani. Starring Vania Vilers, Aurélien Recoing, Pascal Bongard, Fred Ulysse, Nicolas Pignon, Augustin Legrand, Philippe Passon, George Babluani, Pascal Bougard. An aimless 20-year-old with a penchant for following the rules receives a mysterious set of instructions that lead him down a path from which he may never return in director Géla Babluani's tense tale of death and chance. Sébastien has come into possession of a train ticket and a mysterious set of instructions. Though he is unsure of exactly what fate awaits him when he arrives at his destination, one thing is certain: these items were most certainly not meant for him. Bored by his uneventful existence and hungering for something new, Sébastien boards the outbound train and takes his first bold steps into an unknown future. But the world can be a cruel and unforgiving place filled with unfeeling men to whom human life means little more than a lost wager, a ... " [More]

A tense and exciting thriller
by unclefestering in unclefestering Blog

hasn't rated it.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. [What do you think?]
"13 Tzameti is a really interesting film for several reasons. It is a modern take on the film noir genre. But in addition to the usual red herring and mcguffins that fill film noir, this movie has borrowings from Kafka. It is a very interesting movie that deserves more than just the word of mouth praise and festival circuit showing that it has gotten. Director and writer, Gela Babluani is himself an immigrant to France from Georgia, the eastern European country not the southern state, and combines both the film legacy of France with an outsider’s view of the country to really make this thriller special. It was a smart move to film this movie in black and white, although that may have been a purely budgetary decision. It is very crisply photographed and reminded me of why black and white films really stand out over color when they are done right. George Babluani, the director’s brother, stars in the movie as Sebastian, a poor immigrant day worker struggling to help his fa ... " [More]

Lucky '13'
by usesoap in usesoap Blog

liked it.

Was this review helpful? [Be the first to tell us!]
"While I always understood the cult-like devotion to Eli Roth’s ‘Hostel,’ and I appreciated the director’s acute knowledge of all things horror and the sickeningly real premise, I never fully subscribed to the tawdriness of it all. It was a film in which even the dirt and grime had a certain polish to it. And while the film had its merits, it took a film like “13 Tzameti” to make me appreciate just what it was missing. This is not to say the two films are remotely similar thematically (though there are classism issues that figure very prominently into both). But there are some films that seem to scream out for a reduced budget to give it added authenticity. Spike Lee’s “She’s Gotta Have It,” Kevin Smith’s “Clerks,” and Christopher Nolan’s “Following” are examples of how diminished budget actually enhance the final product. Now, “13 Tzameti” can easily be added to that ... " [More]

Not Your Everyday Thriller
by The_American_Dream in The_American_Dream Blog

loved it.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. [What do you think?]
"I've known about this movie for some time now and have been looking forward to seeing it but all the same, nothing could have prepared me for "13 Tzameti". To be most forward about it, movies like this don't come out very often. It might be better to have an idea of what the movie is about though before I begin. Sébastien is fixing a roof for an eccentric old man who receives a letter that by some connection leads to some great wealth. Sébastien and his family are in need of some great wealth, but before it he is in over his head in a game of chance that risks his own life and that of twelve others. At its heart, this movie is a real thriller. Even when you have some idea of where it is going you are on the edge of your seat the whole way there. Really the whole thing is very simple and not far from other movies but "13 Tzameti" brings a different feeling to the screen. The feeling probably comes from the black and white, filmed on a low budget, with a small cast an ... " [More]

Re:Foreign Gems
by leeroy711 in Friends of Foreign Flicks

liked it.

"13 Tzameti review Under discussion: Intacto (2001) 13 Tzameti (2005) **** out of 5 starsDirected By: Gela BabluaniStarring: George Babluani, Pascal Bongard and Aurelien RecoingLanguage: French with English subtitlesReleased: 2005Synopsis:This is the short story of Sebastian, (George Babluani) a 22 year old roofer who finds himself down on his luck when his mysterious employer suddenly overdoses and dies before he receives payment for his services. Times are hard for Sebastian, so when he happens upon an envelope with a train ticket and a paid hotel room in Paris for a seemingly lucrative job opportunity meant for the recently departed, he decides to follow the lead himself. He soon finds out that he may have bitten off more than he could swallow. As soon as he arrives, he is strip search and locked in a room awaiting his "sponsors". The decision of whether or not he would ... " [More]

13 Tzameti review
by leeroy711 in leeroy711 Blog

liked it.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. [What do you think?]
"**** out of 5 starsDirected By: Gela BabluaniStarring: George Babluani, Pascal Bongard and Aurelien RecoingLanguage: French with English subtitlesReleased: 2005Synopsis:This is the short story of Sebastian, (George Babluani) a 22 year old roofer who finds himself down on his luck when his mysterious employer suddenly overdoses and dies before he receives payment for his services. Times are hard for Sebastian, so when he happens upon an envelope with a train ticket and a paid hotel room in Paris for a seemingly lucrative job opportunity meant for the recently departed, he decides to follow the lead himself. He soon finds out that he may have bitten off more than he could swallow. As soon as he arrives, he is strip search and locked in a room awaiting his "sponsors". The decision of whether or not he would like to participate is soon made for him. He will not be at liberty to leave until his task is complete, that is........if he survives.Review:I was very interested to see this film ... " [More]

Re:Foreign Gems
by leeroy711 in Friends of Foreign Flicks

liked it.

"I just finished watching 13 Tzemeti. If you're into good b&w cinematography with an awesome score, you should check this one out. It doesn't move at the fastest of paces but the suspence scenes were well crafted and some of the shots were very unforgettable. Many of them were reflections from mirrors and window panes, which I've always liked. While in other shots, over half the screen was out of focus, drawing more attention to the other portion. I think this was a good way to draw empathy to the main character's feeling of disorientation. Anyway, it wasn't the greatest thing I've ever seen, but it held my attention and it definately deserves a gander from those of you with more discriminating tastes. I would highly suggest that you watch it without watching a trailer or reading the synopsis first, I think I would have gotton more out of it if I had done that. " [More]

Suspense and stuff
by Smooth_J in Smooth_J Blog

loved it.

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"13 Tzameti is top-notch suspense in almost every aspect. French director Géla Babluani crafts a masterful thriller based on a basically messed up version of Russian Roulette. While the exposition is a little bit slow and drawn out, once the main character (played by George Babluani) starts rolling the film never lets up, drawing you into this depraved world of drugs and violence. Everything is utilized to outstanding effect, such as the big fat sweaty guy asking for a chair, which, in the scene, frustratingly draws out the revelation of the gruesome outcome of one of the rounds. The long, overdrawn beginning is nonetheless very unique in its style and delivery in that it creates a sense of foreboding and the unknown through very minimalist ways, which is usually uncharacteristic of a suspense film. The scenes of George working on the roof of the morphine addict’s house are somehow captivating, and though dull compared with the rest of the work, they keep you intere ... " [More]

13, then 10, then 6 and as the ...
by tadiv in tadiv Blog

liked it.

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"Palm Pictures presents 13 Tzameti, a film by Géla Babluani. The film stars George Babluani as twenty-two year old Sebastian. Besides the starring role, I am unable to determine what actors played what roles as the film is in French and the dialog does not lend itself to clearly identifying all of the characters. It is shot in black and white and runs 90 minutes. The MPAA has not rated 13 Tzameti, but it undoubtedly would be rated “R” for violence. A roof repairman, Sebastian, overhears a conversation about a possible lucrative job that is to come to the man who has hired him. When the job offer comes and the original recipient is unable to go, Sebastian decides to seek the paycheck. Little does he know how much risk is involved in earning this particular paycheck. 13 Tzameti is well filmed and somewhat stylish in its black and white images. The story starts off a bit weak, but gains strength as it progresses. The acting is good and the editing is ... " [More]

Alice in Slumberland
by HairyLime in HairyLime Blog

lost interest.

Was this review helpful? [Be the first to tell us!]
"Well, I'd warn you to avoid the review if you are worried about spoilers, but to be honest, there isn't anything all that earth shattering to reveal. A young roofer overhears some "mysterious" conversations, and after his employer overdoses, decides to take his place on a 'money making opportunity'. He's in need of money, well, not desperately, but just needs some (it is kind of hard to tell what motivates anyone in this movie, all the characters are such blanks -- ha ha, shooting blanks, get it?). He ends up at a sort of 'russian roulette competition' with a bunch of rich guys betting on who makes it to the end. It takes a slow 45 minutes to get to the "big secret", and then once it has been revealed, you are stuck with round after pointless round with little or no suspense (I mean, we know who's going to win, the number in the movie title?). I suppose it is meant to be bleak and existential (one of the 'coaches' gives hi ... " [More]

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