Cell 211
Encyclopedia
Cell 211 is a 2009 Spanish prison film
directed by Daniel Monzón, starring Luis Tosar
, Alberto Ammann and Antonio Resines
.
Juan manages to convince the other prisoners that he is one of them, and that he just entered the prison that very day for homicide
. He not only makes himself believed as inmate, but befriends the violent deep voice leader of the riot, Malamadre (Badmother in English), who takes him under his wing.
Malamadre discovers that Basque
terrorists associated with ETA
are being held in the same prison, and plans to use them as a bargaining tool. When this hits the news, it triggers a stream of prison riots throughout the country as well as demonstrations in the Basque Country
. Juan quickly realizes that he is on his own as the situation becomes more politicized and the government gets involved, afraid of potential ramifications in the Basque community.
Juan's pregnant wife, Elena, slowly learns about his impossible situation and heads for the jail. Once there she is brutally beaten outside the prisons, while trying to get information about her husband. A TV inside the prison cell block reveals the information to the prisoners. Camera footage indicates that Elena was at the riot. Fearful for her safety, Juan insists on learning information regarding her status.
Malamadre demands information of all those injured by the riot. The authorities respond with a short list of only four names. This infuriates the prisoners, who believe that the police are withholding information, and decide to kill one of the ETA prisoners. However, Juan intervenes and suggest they merely cut an ear, an act he is forced to perform himself.
The authorities then provide additional information on all the injured. Juan learns Elena is in the hospital, though he is told she is recovering. Juan insists on talking to her but is rebuffed. Utrilla, the police guard who hit Elena, is suspended and asked to leave. Meanwhile, Apache learns the truth behind Juan's status as a guard, having contacted a friend at the police via a secret cell phone. He tells Juan he'll give Juan a chance to defend himself before letting Malamadre know.
Later, Malamadre has Apache ask Juan that he needs to speak to him. Juan is brought to a secluded room, the door closed behind him, and several of Malamadre's men surround him. He asks, nervously, "What faces?" in an effort to defuse the situation given his worry that Apache betrayed his true status. Instead, Malamadre shows Juan a cell phone video from a different camera at the outside riot. The footage shows that Elena was beaten by Utrilla, another prison guard, who then proceeded to leave her on the ground. Juan insists that Utrilla be brought inside.
Inside, Utrilla is faced with the cell phone footage by an infuriated Juan. Juan again insists on talking to Elena, but he instead learns that both she and her unborn child have died. In response, the prisoners viciously beat Utrilla until he loudly insists that Juan is a prison guard. He asks Juan to tell the truth; instead, Juan slits Utrilla's throat and fully joins the prisoners in their fight, having lost all will and reason for life outside. In private Malamadre and his other cohorts are furious but Malamadre leaves him alone, given that he ruthlessly killed Utrilla.
The government sends a messenger to deal directly. The government acquiesces to Malamadre's demands. However, Juan drags Utrilla's corpse in front of the liaison and insists that the government agree in public or they will kill the ETA prisoners. Malamadre is furious at being upstaged though he understands that Juan is correct. Malamadre tells Juan that if the SWAT team invades instead of agreeing, then he will either die or kill Juan. In either event, Malamadre insists only one of them will live, as punishment for Juan's betrayal.
The government does not agree to the demands and sends in the SWAT team. Apache kills Juan and severely injures Malamadre, and it is implied that he is the new king of the prison population once the riot ends. At an inquiry held by the government, the prison officials regret Juan's death but did the best they could in the situation. Finally, the prison official simply asks, "Any more questions?"
, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Luis Tosar
) and Best Adapted Screenplay.
(Spain)
is developing an American remake of Cell 211. Paul Haggis
and Michael Nozik
will produce; the former has intentions to direct the film.
Prison film
A prison film is a film genre concerned with prison life and often prison escape. These films range from acclaimed dramas examining the nature of prisons, like Cool Hand Luke, Brubaker, The Shawshank Redemption, Kiss of the Spider Woman, and Murder One to actioners like Lock Up, Undisputed, and...
directed by Daniel Monzón, starring Luis Tosar
Luis Tosar
Luis Tosar is a Galician actor and musician.-Biography:Born in Lugo, Galicia, Spain on 13th October 1971, he is best known internationally for his villain role in Miami Vice and the role in the upcoming horror film Flatmate, which is directed by Jaume Balagueró.-Selected filmography:*1998 Atilano...
, Alberto Ammann and Antonio Resines
Antonio Resines
Antonio Fernández Resines is an award-winning Spanish film and television actor.- Selected filmography :*La dama boba .*Otros días vendrán ....
.
Plot
Juan Oliver wants to make a good impression at his new job as a prison officer and reports to work a day early, leaving his pregnant wife, Elena, at home. During his tour of the prison, an accident occurs that knocks him unconscious. He is rushed to the empty but visibly haunted walls of cell 211. As this diversion unfolds, convicts break free and hijack some prison officers. Aware of the violence that is to come, the prison officers flee, leaving Juan stranded and unconscious in the heart of the riot. When Juan awakens, he immediately takes stock of the situation; in order to survive, he must pretend to be a prisoner.Juan manages to convince the other prisoners that he is one of them, and that he just entered the prison that very day for homicide
Homicide
Homicide refers to the act of a human killing another human. Murder, for example, is a type of homicide. It can also describe a person who has committed such an act, though this use is rare in modern English...
. He not only makes himself believed as inmate, but befriends the violent deep voice leader of the riot, Malamadre (Badmother in English), who takes him under his wing.
Malamadre discovers that Basque
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
terrorists associated with ETA
ETA
ETA , an acronym for Euskadi Ta Askatasuna is an armed Basque nationalist and separatist organization. The group was founded in 1959 and has since evolved from a group promoting traditional Basque culture to a paramilitary group with the goal of gaining independence for the Greater Basque Country...
are being held in the same prison, and plans to use them as a bargaining tool. When this hits the news, it triggers a stream of prison riots throughout the country as well as demonstrations in the Basque Country
Basque Country (autonomous community)
The Basque Country is an autonomous community of northern Spain. It includes the Basque provinces of Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa, also called Historical Territories....
. Juan quickly realizes that he is on his own as the situation becomes more politicized and the government gets involved, afraid of potential ramifications in the Basque community.
Juan's pregnant wife, Elena, slowly learns about his impossible situation and heads for the jail. Once there she is brutally beaten outside the prisons, while trying to get information about her husband. A TV inside the prison cell block reveals the information to the prisoners. Camera footage indicates that Elena was at the riot. Fearful for her safety, Juan insists on learning information regarding her status.
Malamadre demands information of all those injured by the riot. The authorities respond with a short list of only four names. This infuriates the prisoners, who believe that the police are withholding information, and decide to kill one of the ETA prisoners. However, Juan intervenes and suggest they merely cut an ear, an act he is forced to perform himself.
The authorities then provide additional information on all the injured. Juan learns Elena is in the hospital, though he is told she is recovering. Juan insists on talking to her but is rebuffed. Utrilla, the police guard who hit Elena, is suspended and asked to leave. Meanwhile, Apache learns the truth behind Juan's status as a guard, having contacted a friend at the police via a secret cell phone. He tells Juan he'll give Juan a chance to defend himself before letting Malamadre know.
Later, Malamadre has Apache ask Juan that he needs to speak to him. Juan is brought to a secluded room, the door closed behind him, and several of Malamadre's men surround him. He asks, nervously, "What faces?" in an effort to defuse the situation given his worry that Apache betrayed his true status. Instead, Malamadre shows Juan a cell phone video from a different camera at the outside riot. The footage shows that Elena was beaten by Utrilla, another prison guard, who then proceeded to leave her on the ground. Juan insists that Utrilla be brought inside.
Inside, Utrilla is faced with the cell phone footage by an infuriated Juan. Juan again insists on talking to Elena, but he instead learns that both she and her unborn child have died. In response, the prisoners viciously beat Utrilla until he loudly insists that Juan is a prison guard. He asks Juan to tell the truth; instead, Juan slits Utrilla's throat and fully joins the prisoners in their fight, having lost all will and reason for life outside. In private Malamadre and his other cohorts are furious but Malamadre leaves him alone, given that he ruthlessly killed Utrilla.
The government sends a messenger to deal directly. The government acquiesces to Malamadre's demands. However, Juan drags Utrilla's corpse in front of the liaison and insists that the government agree in public or they will kill the ETA prisoners. Malamadre is furious at being upstaged though he understands that Juan is correct. Malamadre tells Juan that if the SWAT team invades instead of agreeing, then he will either die or kill Juan. In either event, Malamadre insists only one of them will live, as punishment for Juan's betrayal.
The government does not agree to the demands and sends in the SWAT team. Apache kills Juan and severely injures Malamadre, and it is implied that he is the new king of the prison population once the riot ends. At an inquiry held by the government, the prison officials regret Juan's death but did the best they could in the situation. Finally, the prison official simply asks, "Any more questions?"
Cast
- Luis TosarLuis TosarLuis Tosar is a Galician actor and musician.-Biography:Born in Lugo, Galicia, Spain on 13th October 1971, he is best known internationally for his villain role in Miami Vice and the role in the upcoming horror film Flatmate, which is directed by Jaume Balagueró.-Selected filmography:*1998 Atilano...
- Malamadre - Alberto Ammann - Juan
- Antonio ResinesAntonio ResinesAntonio Fernández Resines is an award-winning Spanish film and television actor.- Selected filmography :*La dama boba .*Otros días vendrán ....
- Utrilla - Marta EturaMarta EturaMarta Etura Palenzuela is a Spanish film and television actress.-Cinema:* 2001: Sin vergüenza* 2002: El Caballero Don Quijote* 2002: Trece campanadas* 2002: La Vida de nadie* 2003: Mariposas de fuego...
- Elena - Carlos BardemCarlos BardemCarlos Bardem is a Spanish actor and son of Pilar Bardem and brother of Mónica and Javier Bardem ....
- Apache - Manuel Morón - Almansa
- Luis Zahera - Releches
- Vicente Romero - Tachuela
Production
The screenplay was adapted from a homonym novel by Francisco Pérez Gandul in a story of loyalty, friendship and guts set during a prison riot.Prizes
An artistic and commercial success, the film won eight Goya AwardsGoya Awards
The Goya Awards, known in Spanish as los Premios Goya, are Spain's main national film awards, considered by many in Spain, and internationally, to be the Spanish equivalent of the American Academy Awards....
, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Luis Tosar
Luis Tosar
Luis Tosar is a Galician actor and musician.-Biography:Born in Lugo, Galicia, Spain on 13th October 1971, he is best known internationally for his villain role in Miami Vice and the role in the upcoming horror film Flatmate, which is directed by Jaume Balagueró.-Selected filmography:*1998 Atilano...
) and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Accolades
Goya Awards24th Goya Awards
The 24th Goya Awards were given in 2010 to honour the best in Spanish filmmaking of 2009.Cell 211 won the award for Best Film.-Major awards:-Other award nominees:...
(Spain)
-
- Won: Best Actor – Leading Role (Luis Tosar)
- Won: Best Actress – Supporting Role (Marta Etura)
- Won: Best Breakthrough Actor (Alberto Ammann)
- Won: Best Director (Daniel Monzón)
- Won: Best Editing
- Won: Best Picture
- Won: Best Screenplay – Adapted (Jorge Guerricaechevarría & Daniel Monzón)
- Won: Best Sound
- Nominated: Best Actor – Supporting Role (Carlos Bardem)
- Nominated: Best Actor – Supporting Role (Antonio Resines)
- Nominated: Best Art Direction
- Nominated: Best Cinematography (Carles Gusi)
- Nominated: Best Makeup
- Nominated: Best Production Supervisor (Alicia Tellería)
- Nominated: Best Score (Roque Baños)
- Nominated: Best Visual Effects
Remake
CBS FilmsCBS Films
CBS Films is an American film production company founded in 2007, a feature film division of CBS Corporation. CBS Films is located on Wilshire Boulevard in West Los Angeles.-Company history:...
is developing an American remake of Cell 211. Paul Haggis
Paul Haggis
Paul Edward Haggis is a Canadian screenwriter, producer, and director. He spent his early career producing and directing various American and Canadian television network series.-Early life and education:...
and Michael Nozik
Michael Nozik
Michael Nozik is an American film producer. He won a BAFTA award for The Motorcycle Diaries in the category of 'Best Film Not In The English Language' in 2004. His credits also include Love in the Time of Cholera, Syriana, Quiz Show, and The Legend of Bagger Vance.- Filmography :- External links :...
will produce; the former has intentions to direct the film.