Any athlete will tell you that their sport helps teach them discipline, teamwork and skills. But chess is a game that teaches strategy as well as determination and encourages the players to a battle of the minds. While I admire the game, I’ve never learned to play chess since it always seemed too complicated for me. And despite the movie being focused on the game of chess, as soon as I saw the trailers for Queen of Katwe, I had an immediate draw to the movie.
Queen of Katwe is Disney’s newest biopic movie that is hitting theaters today. The film follows Phiona Mutesi, a young girl from the streets of Uganda who changes her future as well as her family’s by becoming a chess champion. Phiona and her siblings help support their family by selling maze on the streets of Katwe, when she in introduced to the game of chess by a local ministry. While the free cup of porridge is what she immediately likes, Phiona quickly falls in love with the game, the strategy behind winning and the opportunities it begins to open for her.
Despite being over two hours long, Queen of Katwe will keep your attention the whole time. With moments that have you holding your breath and others that will bring you to tears (seriously, bring your tissues!) And while the movie is focused on Phiona’s journey with chess and to find her place in the world, you don’t really need to understand the game to enjoy the movie. The movie isn’t an instructional movie about the game, and it becomes the vehicle that takes Phiona to new heights.
The trailers for Queen of Katwe don’t actually do the movie justice, it is so much better than I could have even expected. And while the movie could easily be put in the sports category, it is more an inspirational tale, one of family support and strength, and one filled with strong children actors that may even out act the big names stars in the film.
Hint – stay for the beginning of the credits where the real life inspiration for the movie characters stand with the actors who portray them, and you can see where they are today. As for Phiona, having just finished secondary school this year – her achievements are even more inspiring.
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