13 Tzameti and more

13 Tzameti

2005. Georgia/France. Written and directed by Gela Babluani. With Georges Babluani, Aurélien Recoing, Pascal Bongard. A black-and-white neo-noir with style and suspense to spare, Gela Babluani’s debut feature garnered plenty of awards—from Sundance to Venice and beyond—to go with its cult following. A naïve young man (played by the director’s brother) who is supporting his family of refugees, intercepts a train ticket and some directions and decides to take a chance at changing his luck. A circuitous route lands him in an ominous castle amid a life-and-death game that promises a huge payout for the last man standing. The terrifically harrowing milieu is expertly crafted, and even at the most extreme edges of sociopathic behavior, every face and gesture seems utterly authentic. In French, Georgian; English subtitles. 93 min.

What Can I Wish You Before the Fight?

2012. France. Written and directed by Sofia Babluani. Set in an unspecified war zone and with an atmosphere of mounting tension, this vignette about mistaken identity and communication that transcends barriers packs plenty of emotional punch. In French; English subtitles. 16 min.