Argentina hits the big time with a film about stamps.

"This film does not reflect reality," says Fabian Bielinsky, director of triple-cross crime caper Nine Queens. "It's about a mood that sometimes everyone goes through - Is everybody really lying? Is there anybody that isn't part of this big scheme?"

It's a feeling that must have dogged him over the years. Because, despite having worked in the Argentinean film industry since the early 80s, this is the 43-year-old's debut as a director. "I wrote the script for myself," he says forlornly. "Pleasure is a good place to start when making a film. For two years I tried to find a producer who would make it. But I couldn't find anyone."

Then he entered a competition, held by Argentina's mighty Patagonik Film Group, to find new talent. OK, so Fabian isn't exactly "new", but he did beat off 349 other entrants to get the green light on his script, plus a budget of $1.3m. Not bad for a country that puts the "bank" back into bankrupt.

Juan (Gaston Pauls) and Marcos (Ricardo Darin) and Marcos arguing with his sister Valeria (Leticia Bredice)

Since then, Nine Queens has won virtually every award south of Sao Paulo, including the 2001 People's Choice Award on MTV Argentina (yes, MTV Argentina). Mind you, there's not a lot of competition. Last year, only about 75 Argentine films were made, although that's double the rate of the 90s. "It's encouraging that there are more people who want to make films now," says Bielinsky. "But the financial problems are endemic."

Nine Queens is like Hitchcock at his most neurotic, remixed by David Mamet. Juan (Ricardo Darin) and Marcos (Gaston Pauls) are small-time crooks swindling their way round Buenos Aires, before stumbling on a chance to make it big via nine ultra-rare Nazi stamps. After that there are more twists than a Chubby Checker reunion dance, and it needs great performances to pull it off. Luckily, it gets them.

Marcos (Ricardo Darin) with his sister Valeria (Leticia Bredice) and Juan (Gaston Pauls)

"I've been interested in the idea of the street swindler my whole life," says Bielinsky. "Those delinquents who, instead of using weapons, use their ingenuity and subtle psychological mechanisms to get one over on their victims."

So is he getting one over on the viewer? "I like to use the manipulation of the audience as a way of creating a connection with them," he says. "A story about swindlers generates a tension of its own which has more to do with the activity than me actually intending to create suspense." Hmm. So go and get conned. JC 11 July 02

Nine Queens goes on release on 12 July 02.

Empire Magazine:
...terrific performances, snappy photography and a razor-sharp script ...
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Film Four:
...Mamet with a Latin twist: sparking dialogue, duplicity and cynicism...
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