CELL 211

Spain, 2009, 113 minutes, Colour.
Luis Tosar, Alberto Ammann, Carlos Bardem, Antonio Resines.
Directed by Daniel Monzon.

Cell 211 is a vivid film about prisons. It focuses on a range of prisoners, especially top leader, Malamadre, played by Luis Tosar, a veteran of many fine Spanish films.
The film has a strong Hispanic tone about it, riots against conditions in prisons, the taking of hostages, especially ETA hostages and using them for negotiations with the government.
The film shows a young guard entering the prison, hit and mistaken for a prisoner, confined to Cell 211. However, Malamadre takes a liking to him and involves him in the riots and in the negotiations. The young guard continues to pretend to be a prisoner, sharing the experiences and coming to understand something of the conditions and the treatment by the guards. There is pathos as the young man has farewelled his wife, sees her being beaten on a television screen and then and receives the news that she has died. In his anger, he kills the guard who has brutalised his wife.
Ultimately, a SWAT team is called in to resolve the riots and a negotiator shoots both the young guard as well as Malamadre. It is Malamadre who survives.

1. Prison film? Visual experience? Men in prison? Violence and brutality? Guards? Conditions?
2. The title, the focus, the visuals of the cell, Juan confined?
3. The visuals of the prison, the locations, the corridors, the cells, the yards? The audience immersed with the prisoners?
4. The role of the media, cameras, television interviews, giving information? The brutality towards Elena?
5. Social concerns, Spanish, prison rights, criminals and punishment, guards? Riots, hostages, eta? The political implications?
6. The focus on Juan, young, new, entering the prison at the difficult time, his relationship with Elena, his prospects? His being hit, the masonry? His pretence? Put in the cell, the effect on him? The encounter with Malamadre? Surviving? Involved in the riots, the dangers, taking its toll? See Elana on the television? The truth?
7. Malamadre as a central character, his appearance, crime background, control of the men, harsh and tender? The riots, the taking of the hostages? His relationship with Juan, taking care of him? His associates, Apache? Legacy actions? Taking the ETA hostages? Using them?
8. Elena, relationship to her husband, the deals with the negotiator, on the television, her being beaten, the news of her death?
9. The guards, Utrillo, his beating Elena, into the prison, Juan slitting his throat? Juan attempting to hang himself? The use of Utrillo’s body?
10. Juan and his demands, Apache and the negotiations? The SWAT attack?
11. Apache, his shooting Malamadre and Juan? Juan dead? Malamadre surviving?