Name	Nine Queens
Caption	Theatrical release poster
Director	Fabián Bielinsky
Producer	Cecilia BossiPablo Bossi
Writer	Fabián Bielinsky
Starring	Gastón PaulsRicardo DarínLeticia BrédiceTomás Fonzi
Music	César Lerner
Cinematography	Marcelo Camorino
Editing	Sergio Zottola
Distributor	Buena Vista International
Released	August 31, 2000
Runtime	114 minutes
Country	Argentina
Language	Spanish
Budget	$1,500,000estimated.
Gross	$12,413,888

Nine Queens () (2000) is an Argentine crime drama film written and directed by Fabián Bielinsky. The picture features Gastón Pauls, Ricardo Darín, Leticia Brédice, and Tomás Fonzi, among others.

The film was nominated for 28 awards and won 21 of them.

It tells the story of two con artists who meet, apparently by chance, and decide to cooperate in a scam.

Plot

The film opens at a gas station mini-market early in the morning. Juan, a con artist, successfully scams the cashier, but later messes up by attempting the same scam again on the next shift. Marcos, who has been observing the whole time, steps in pretending to be a police officer and takes Juan away. As soon as they are far enough from the shop, Marcos tells Juan he is not actually a cop but a fellow con man. Juan asks Marcos to show him the ropes, because his father, also a con man, is in jail and he needs to raise money to bribe the judge to reduce his father's sentence to six months from ten years.

Then a rare scheme seemingly falls into their laps: a former business associate of Marcos convinces them to sell counterfeit copies he made of some rare stamps called "The Nine Queens". The potential mark is Gandolfo, a rich Spaniard who is facing deportation and desperate to smuggle his wealth out of the country. He is unable to fully check if the stamps are authentic but he hires an expert to do a quick check and is satisfied. He offers them $450,000 for the stamps, the exchange to take place that evening. In the intervening time, a number of things go wrong. The stamp expert demands a cut, as he knew the stamps were in fact forged. The fake stamps are then stolen out of Juan and Marco's hands by crooks on a motorcycle who are unaware of their value, destroying them by tossing them into a river.

To salvage the scheme, Juan and Marco see if they can buy the real stamps from their owner, a widow whom they convince to sell the stamps for $250,000. If they can raise the cash, they figure they can still make a $200,000 profit. Juan initially backs out as he is hesitant to trust Marco with his money, but at the end of the day he kicks in $50,000 on top of Marcos' $200,000 and they buy the real stamps. That night they go to the buyer's hotel, but he says he has changed his mind and will now only buy the stamps if he also gets to sleep with Marcos' sister, a hotel employee. Marco convinces his sister Valeria to sleep with the buyer, but in exchange she makes him admit to his younger brother how he swindled him out of his inheritance. The buyer of the stamps pays with a certified check, but the bank crashes the next day, making the check worthless.

It appears that Juan and Marcos are both ruined, but the final scene is a surprise ending. Juan heads back to his warehouse, where he joins everyone except Marcos who was involved in the stamp transaction, relaxing after a successful heist. The entire time, the real scam was to screw Marcos out of $200,000 as revenge for all the times he swindled his family and his partners.

Cast

Gastón Pauls as Juan / Sebastian

Ricardo Darín as Marcos

Leticia Brédice as Valeria

Tomás Fonzi as Federico

Graciela Tenenbaum as Convenience Store Employee

María Mercedes Villagra as Convenience Store Employee 2

Gabriel Correa as Convenience Store Manager

Pochi Ducasse as Aunt

Luis Armesto as Bar Waiter

Ernesto Arias as Bar Manager

Amancay Espíndola as Woman in Elevator

Isaac Fajm as Vendor

Jorge Noya as Aníbal

Oscar Nuñez as Sandler

Ignasi Abadal as Vidal Gandolfo

Carlos Lanari as Man on Cell Phone

Alejandro Awada as Washington

Background

The main character of the film is trying to remember the name of a Rita Pavone song throughout the film. The song by Rita Pavone "Il Ballo Del Mattone" plays as the credits run.

Distribution

The film opened wide in Argentina on August 31, 2000. The film was screened at various film festivals, including: the Telluride Film Festival, USA; the Toronto Film Festival, Canada; the Medellín de Película, Colombia; the Portland International Film Festival, United States; the Cognac Festival du Film Policier, France; the München Fantasy Filmfest, Germany; the Norwegian International Film Festival, Norway; and others.

In the United States it opened on a limited basis on April 19, 2002.

Remake

The film's screenplay was adapted in the 2004 film Criminal. It was also used as a basis for the following Indian films: the Bollywood film Bluffmaster! (2005) and the Malayalam film (2009).

Critical reception

Film critic Roger Ebert liked the screenplay of the film, and wrote, "And on and on, around and around, in an elegant and sly deadpan comedy. A plot, however clever, is only the clockwork; what matters is what kind of time a movie tells. Nine Queens is blessed with a gallery of well-drawn character roles, including the alcoholic mark and his two bodyguards; the avaricious widow who owns the "nine queens" and her much younger bleached-blond boyfriend, and Valeria the sister, who opposes Marcos' seamy friends and life of crime but might be willing to sleep with Gandolfo if she can share in the spoils."

The San Francisco Chronicle film critic, Edward Guthmann, also reviewed the film positively and thought the actors performed quite well, writing, "Fast-paced and unerringly surprising, Nine Queens is nicely performed by a large cast, particularly Darín (El hijo de la novia) as a goateed, less-than- perfect hoodwinker. David Mamet plowed this con-the-con turf in Heist, House of Games and The Spanish Prisoner, but Bielinsky, in his directing debut, makes it seem sassy and reinvented."

Awards

Wins

Argentine Film Critics Association Awards: Silver Condor; Best Actor, Ricardo Darín; Best Cinematography, Marcelo Camorino; Best Director, Fabián Bielinsky; Best Editing, Sergio Zottola; Best Film; Best Original Screenplay, Fabián Bielinsky; Best Supporting Actress, Elsa Berenguer; 2001.

Biarritz International Festival of Latin American Cinema: Best Actor, (tie) Ricardo Darín and Gastón Pauls; for Nueve reinas; 2001.

Bogotá Film Festival: Audience Award, Fabián Bielinsky; Golden Precolumbian Circle, Best Director, Fabián Bielinsky; 2001.

Lima Latin American Film Festival: Elcine First Prize, Fabián Bielinsky; 2001.

Lleida Latin-American Film Festival: Audience Award, Fabián Bielinsky; Best Director, Fabián Bielinsky; 2001.

Oslo Films from the South Festival: Audience Award, Fabián Bielinsky; 2001.

Cognac Festival du Film Policier: Grand Prix, Fabián Bielinsky; Premiere Award, Fabián Bielinsky; 2002.

Fantasporto: Directors' Week Award, Best Screenplay, Fabián Bielinsky; 2002.

Portland International Film Festival: Audience Award Best First Film, Fabián Bielinsky; 2002.

Sant Jordi Awards: Sant Jordi; Best Foreign Actor, Ricardo Darín. Also for La Fuga (2001) and El Hijo de la Novia (2001); 2002.

References

External links

Nueve reinas at the cinenacional.com

Category:2000 films Category:2000s crime films Category:Argentine films Category:Crime drama films

Category:Films which are set within one day Category:Heist films Category:Independent films Category:Mystery films Category:Spanish-language films

Name	David Sylvian
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	David Alan Batt
Born	February 23, 1958
Origin	Beckenham, Kent, England
Instrument	guitarskeyboards
Genre	Avant-garde
Years active	1974–present
Label	Virgin Records Samadhisound
Associated acts	JapanNine Horses
Url	David Sylvian.com

David Sylvian (born David Alan Batt, 23 February 1958, Beckenham, Kent) is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He came to prominence in the late 1970s as the lead vocalist and main songwriter in the group Japan. His subsequent solo work is described by critic Jason Ankeny as "a far-ranging and esoteric career that encompassed not only solo projects but also a series of fascinating collaborative efforts." Sylvian's solo work has been influenced by a variety of musical styles and genres, including jazz, avant-garde, ambient, electronic, and progressive rock.

Biography

Early years

Sylvian was born the son of a plasterer and a housewife. He was educated at Catford Boys' School, Catford, South East London leaving at 16. As a youth, he listened to glam rock artists such as David Bowie and Roxy Music.

1970s-Early 1980s: Japan

in Toronto, 24 November 1979]] The band Japan, whose other members included bassist Mick Karn, guitarist Rob Dean, keyboardist Richard Barbieri and Sylvian's brother Steve Jansen as drummer, began as a group of friends. As youngsters they played music as a means of escape, playing Sylvian's two-chord numbers – sometimes with Karn as the front man, sometimes with Sylvian at the fore.

They christened themselves Japan in 1974, signed a recording contract with Hansa, and became an alternative glam rock outfit in the mould of David Bowie, T.Rex, and The New York Dolls. Over a period of a few years their music became more sophisticated, drawing initially on the art rock stylings of Roxy Music. Their visual image also evolved and the band was tagged with the New Romantic label. Indeed, it could be argued that Japan was at the forefront of the entire New Romantic movement, even though the band never associated itself with it. Noting their distinction from the New Romantics, Sylvian stated: "I don't like to be associated with them. The attitudes are so very different." Of Japan's fashion sense, Sylvian said: "For them [New Romantics], fancy dress is a costume. But ours is a way of life. We look and dress this way every day."

Japan recorded five studio albums between March 1978 and November 1981. In 1980, the band signed with Virgin Records, where Sylvian remained as a recording artist for the next twenty years. The band suffered from personal and creative clashes, particularly between Sylvian and Karn, with tensions springing from Sylvian's relationship with Yuka Fujii, a photographer, artist and designer, and Karn's former girlfriend. Fujii quickly became an influential figure in Sylvian's life. She was the first person to introduce Sylvian seriously to jazz, which in turn inspired him to follow musical avenues not otherwise open to him. She also encouraged Sylvian to incorporate spiritual discipline into his daily routine. Throughout his solo career, Fujii maintained a large role in the design of artwork for his albums.

1980s-1990s: Solo career

In 1982, Sylvian released his first collaborative effort with Ryuichi Sakamoto, entitled "Bamboo Houses/Bamboo Music". He also worked with Sakamoto on the UK Top 20 song "Forbidden Colours" for the 1983 Nagisa Oshima film Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence.

Sylvian's debut solo album, Brilliant Trees (1984), met with critical acclaim. The album included contributions from Ryuichi Sakamoto, trumpeter Jon Hassell, and former Can bassist Holger Czukay. It featured the UK Top 20 single Red Guitar.

In 1985, Sylvian released an instrumental mini-album , in collaboration with Jansen, Hassell and Czukay, a recording that, when re-released in 2003, included the addition of Sylvian's Steel Cathedrals, the soundtrack to his video release of the same name.

The next release was the ambitious two-record set Gone to Earth (1986), which further flouted conventional and commercial wisdom by featuring one record of atmospheric vocal tracks and a second record consisting of ambient instrumentals. The album contained significant contributions from noted guitarists Bill Nelson of Be-Bop Deluxe and Robert Fripp of King Crimson.

Secrets of the Beehive (1987) made greater use of acoustic instruments and was musically oriented towards sombre, emotive ballads laced with shimmering string arrangements by Ryuichi Sakamoto and Brian Gascoigne. The album yielded one of Sylvian's most well-received songs, "Orpheus," and was later supported by his first solo tour, 1988's 'In Praise of Shamans.'

Never one to conform to commercial expectations, Sylvian then collaborated with Holger Czukay. Plight and Premonition, issued in 1988, and Flux and Mutability, recorded and released the following year, also included contributions from Can members Jaki Liebezeit and Michael Karoli.

Virgin decided to close out the 1980s with the release of Weatherbox, an elaborate boxed-set compilation consisting of Sylvian's four previous solo albums.

In 1990, Sylvian collaborated with artists Russell Mills and Ian Walton on the elaborate multi-media installation using sculpture, sound and light titled Ember Glance - The Permanence of Memory. The exhibition was staged at the temporary museum 'Space FGO-Soko' on Tokyo Bay, Shinagawa.

1990s: Rain Tree Crow

Also in 1990, Sylvian reunited with the former members of Japan for a new project. Unlike their past work, Sylvian decided to use methods of improvisation like those he explored in his work with Czukay.

Ingrid Chavez, an artist signed to Prince's Paisley Park Records, sent Sylvian a copy of her first album. He liked what he heard and thought her voice would fit well with some material that both Ryuichi Sakamoto and he were working on for a new Sakamoto release. Chavez and Sylvian quickly developed a bond and decided to travel together throughout the UK and the USA, where they eventually settled after marrying in 1992.

1993: With Robert Fripp

In the early 1990s, guitarist Robert Fripp invited Sylvian to join a new version of progressive rock stalwarts King Crimson. Sylvian declined the invitation, but he and Fripp recorded the album The First Day released in July 1993. Something of a departure for Sylvian, the album melded Sylvian's philosophical lyrics to funk workouts and aggressive rock stylings very much in the mould of Fripp's King Crimson. To capitalize on the album's success, the musicians went back out on the road in the autumn of 1993. A live recording, called and released in 1994, was culled from the final shows of the tour.

Sylvian and Fripp's final collaboration was the installation Redemption – Approaching Silence. The exhibition was held at the P3 Art and Environment centre in Shinjuku, Tokyo, and ran from 30 August to 18 September 1994. The accompanying music was composed by Sylvian, with text written and recited by Fripp.

In the late summer of 1995, Sylvian undertook a one-man solo tour which he called 'Slow Fire - A Personal Retrospective.'

A period of relative musical inactivity followed, during which Sylvian and Ingrid Chavez moved from Minnesota to the Napa Valley. Chavez had given birth to two daughters, Ameera-Daya (born 1993) and Isobel (born 1997), and pursued her interest in photography and music.

2000s: Recent work

In 1999, Sylvian released Dead Bees on a Cake, his first solo album proper since Secrets of the Beehive twelve years earlier. The disc gathered together the most eclectic influences of all his recordings, ranging from soul music to jazz fusion to blues to Eastern-inflected spiritual chants, and most of the songs' lyrics reflected the now 41-year-old Sylvian's inner peace resulting from his marriage, family, and beliefs. Guest musicians included long-time friend Ryuichi Sakamoto, classically-trained tabla player Talvin Singh, avant-garde guitarist Marc Ribot, jazz trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, and contemporary jazz guitarist Bill Frisell.

Following Dead Bees, Sylvian released a pair of compilation albums through Virgin, a two-disc retrospective, Everything and Nothing, and an instrumental collection, Camphor. Both albums contained previously released material, some remixes, and several new or previously unreleased tracks which Sylvian finished especially for the projects.

Sylvian parted ways with Virgin and launched his own independent label, Samadhi Sound. He released the album Blemish. A fusion of styles, including jazz and electronica, the tour enabled Sylvian to perform music from the Nine Horses project, as well as various selections from his back catalogue.

A new solo album entitled Manafon was released on September 14, 2009 in two editions - a regular CD/digipak edition and a twin boxset deluxe edition with two books that include the CD and a DVD featuring the film 'Amplified Gesture'. Manafon features contributions from leading figures in electroacoustic improvisation such as saxophonist Evan Parker, multi-instrumentalist Otomo Yoshihide, Christian Fennesz, Sachiko M and AMM alumnists guitarist Keith Rowe, percussionist Eddie Prévost and pianist John Tilbury.

Discography

Japan

(March 1978) Adolescent Sex

(October 1978) Obscure Alternatives

(December 1979) Quiet Life

(November 1980) Gentlemen Take Polaroids

(September 1981) Assemblage - compilation

(November 1981) Tin Drum

(June 1983) Oil On Canvas - live album

(July 1984) Exorcising Ghosts - compilation

(April 1991) Rain Tree Crow - same line-up as Japan

(March 2006) The Very Best of Japan - compilation

Solo & Collaborations

(1984) Brilliant Trees

(1985)

(1986) Gone to Earth

(1987) Secrets of the Beehive

(1988) Plight & Premonition

(1989) Flux and Mutability

(1989) Weatherbox - Limited edition 5CD box set

(1991) Rain Tree Crow

(1991)

(1993) The First Day

(1993) Darshan (The Road To Graceland)

(1994)

(1999) Dead Bees on a Cake

(1999) Approaching Silence

(2000) Everything and Nothing

(2002) Camphor

(2003) Blemish

(2003) World Citizen

(2005) The Good Son vs. The Only Daughter (The Blemish Remixes)

(2005) Snow Borne Sorrow by Nine Horses

(2007) Money for All by Nine Horses

(2007) When Loud Weather Buffeted Naoshima

(2009) Manafon

(2010) Sleepwalkers (remix compilation CD)]

Contributions

This is an incomplete list.

(1982) "Good Night" on Ai Ga Nakucha Ne by Akiko Yano

(1983) "Forbidden Colours" on Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence soundtrack by Ryuichi Sakamoto

(1986) "Some Small Hope" on Hope In A Darkened Heart by Virginia Astley

(1987) "Buoy" and "When Love Walks In" on Dreams Of Reason Produce Monsters by Mick Karn

(1991) "Heartbeat (Returning To The Womb)" and "Cloud #9" on Heartbeat by Ryuichi Sakamoto

(1992) "To A Reason" and "Victim Of Stars" on Sahara Blue by Hector Zazou

(1995) "Come Morning", "The Golden Way" and "Maya" on Marco Polo by Nicola Alesini & Pier Luigi Andreoni

(1995) "Ti Ho Aspettato (I Have Waited For You)" on L'Albero Pazzo by Andrea Chimenti

(1996) "How Safe Is Deep?" on Undark:Strange Familiar by Russell Mills

(1998) "Salvation" on Discord by Ryuichi Sakamoto

(1999) "Rooms Of Sixteen Shimmers" on Pearl And Umbra by Russell Mills

(2000) "Forbidden Colours" on Cinemage by Ryuichi Sakamoto

(2001) "Zero Landmine" on Zero Landmine by No More Landmine featuring Ryuichi Sakamoto and Various Artists

(2001) "Sugarfuel" on Bold by Readymade FC

(2001) "Linoleum" on The Attraction to All Things Uncertain by Tweaker

(2004) "World Citizen (I Won't Be Disappointed)" on Chasm by Ryuichi Sakamoto

(2004) "Transit" on Venice by Fennesz

(2004) "Pure Genius" on 2 a.m. Wakeup Call by Tweaker

(2004) "Late Night Shopping (remix)" by Fennesz

(2004) "Messenger" on The Secret Society Of Butterflies by Blonde Redhead

(2004) "Exit/Delete" on Coieda by Takagi Masakatsu

(2004) "For The Love Of Life (Ending Theme Full Version)" on "Monster - Original Soundtrack" by 配島邦明

(2005) "The Librarian" on Out In The Sticks by Burnt Friedman & Jaki Liebezeit

(2005) "A Fire In The Forest" (Remix) on Babilonia by Readymade FC

(2006) "Angels" on Crime Scenes by Punkt

(2006) "World Citizen - I Won't Be Disappointed" on Babel soundtrack by Gustavo Santaolalla

(2007) "Playground Martyrs" and "Ballad Of A Deadman" on Slope by Steve Jansen

(2008) "Honor Wishes" and "No Question" on To Survive by Joan As Police Woman

(2008) "Before And Afterlife" and "Thermal" on Cartography by Arve Henriksen

(2009) "Jacqueline" on The Believer -The 2009 Music Issue-

References

External links

David Sylvian.com - The official David Sylvian website.

Category:1958 births Category:Living people Category:English male singers Category:English rock musicians Category:People from Beckenham Category:Japan (band) members