Queen of Diamonds (1991);
The Great Sadness of Zohara (Israel/Morocco, 1983)

Directed by Nina Menkes

Menkes’ study of disaffected blackjack dealer “Firdaus” (Tinka Menkes) perfectly conveys the explosive claustrophobia of Las Vegas, where arid daytime landscapes contrast with its deceptively arid (if riotously mediated) interiors, emblematizing a mindscape in which real-world incursions such as the death of a friend are but momentary interruptions of a relentless daily grind. Queen of Diamonds stands as one of Menkes’ most visually and psychologically arresting works.

Producer/Cinematographer: Nina Menkes. Editor: Tinka Menkes, N. Menkes. Cast: T. Menkes, Irene Bowers, Jeff Douglas, Emmellda J. Beech, Kathryn Francomacaro.

35mm, color, 77 min.