| Queen of Diamonds | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Nina Menkes |
| Written by | Nina Menkes |
| Produced by | Nina Menkes |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Nina Menkes |
| Production company | Menkesfilm |
| Distributed by | Facets Multi-Media |
| Release date |
|
| Running time | 77 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Queen of Diamonds is a 1991 American independent drama film directed by Nina Menkes, starring her sister Tinka Menkes.
Plot
A portrait of a damaged, alienated woman named Firdaus, who also works as a Las Vegas blackjack dealer.
Cast
- Tinka Menkes as Firdaus
- Emmellda Beech as Best Friend
Release
The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 1991.
Reception
Glenn Kenny of The New York Times called the film "an urgent portrayal of the tedium of endless transaction." Leslie Combemale of the Alliance of Women Film Journalists rated the film 4.5 stars out of 5 and wrote that it "offers a fascinating look at how a female filmmaker can reframe or manipulate what has, over time, become the traditional visual language of film, in the service of more femme-centric storytelling."
TV Guide wrote that the Menkes' "gift for creating memorable images plays off of Tinka Menkes' restrained but powerful acting to give Queen of Diamonds an impact above and beyond its spare story line." Erika Balsom Cinema Scope wrote that the film "does not quite abide by the reality principle. It hints at how things could be more, could be otherwise-and maybe already are."
Legacy
In 2023, the film was added to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress after being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
References
- Nina Menkes Collection|Oscars.org
- Chicago Reader
- MUBI
- Menkesfilm
- Harmetz, Aljean (19 January 1991). "Sundance Film Festival is aflicker with surprises". Star Tribune. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
- Kenny, Glenn (25 April 2019). "'Queen of Diamonds' Review: Fear, Loathing and Misogyny". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
- Combemale, Leslie (2 March 2022). "QUEEN OF DIAMONDS – Review by Leslie Combemale". Alliance of Women Film Journalists. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
- "Queen of Diamonds Reviews". TV Guide. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
- Balsom, Erika (2020). "Far from paradise". Cinema Scope. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
- Tartaglione, Nancy (2023-12-13). "National Film Registry: 'Apollo 13', 'Home Alone', 'Terminator 2', '12 Years A Slave' Among 25 Titles Added This Year". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-12-13.