Queen of katwe phiona plus#

And, in her debut, Nalwanga is perfectly understated, her charisma growing as Phiona starts to feel special.

NyongРІР‚в„ўo, playing her first on-screen role since her Oscar win for 2013РІР‚в„ўs 12 Years A Slave, shows her breakthrough was no fluke, giving Harriet a determination that always seems one more misfortune from shattering, while David Oyelowo is a storm of personality as the chess coach. The rest of PhionaРІР‚в„ўs chess club is made up of huge personalities, oohing and aahing and bawling through their own matches or while watching Phiona, giving those scenes some of the requisite sports-movie flavour.

To combat this, in the scenes of Phiona playing at tournaments Nair takes the focus away from the board, where little bits of wood are being moved in tiny increments, and puts it on the spectators. At least that has pieces flying through the air. This is, in essence, a sports movie, yet Nair has lumbered herself with a РІР‚ВsportРІР‚в„ў less spectator-friendly than tiddlywinks. However, itРІР‚в„ўs hard to escape a pertinent fact: chess is incredibly dull. Every frame sings with pattern and texture.

Queen of katwe phiona plus#

Speaking of vivid, mention must go to Stephanie CarrollРІР‚в„ўs production design and Mobolaji DawoduРІР‚в„ўs costumes, plus Sean BobbittРІР‚в„ўs cinematography. She doesnРІР‚в„ўt just scrape the surface for the bits that seem most exotic. Perhaps itРІР‚в„ўs because Uganda has been her home for several years, but Nair makes her world vivid and real. William WheelerРІР‚в„ўs screenplay draws a Uganda that has the same complex social class system as any western country, not just a world of haves and have-nots. Yet Nair lets a lot of those clichР“В©s slide, and doesnРІР‚в„ўt overplay PhionaРІР‚в„ўs achievements, wallow in squalor or overdo the rich/poor divide. MutesiРІР‚в„ўs story offers every clichР“В© of the РІР‚Вpoverty prodigyРІР‚в„ў genre, in which shy children - theyРІР‚в„ўre always shy - who live in grim circumstances are introduced to a rarefied world of elitism, where their humble brilliance helps them beat the snob at their own game. And something like chess can be introduced to you and it can just spark a hope and an excitement and a confidence to change the circumstances within which you were born,РІР‚Сњ NyongРІР‚в„ўo told ABC News.When the triumph over adversity story is as well told as this, itРІР‚в„ўs always a pleasure to hear it again. You know, wherever you are, you know, thereРІР‚в„ўs people all over the world who are living in conditions in which they feel there is no way out.

It's everyone, I feel, can identify with Phiona. Starting Lupita NyongРІР‚в„ўo, David Oyelowo, and Madina Nalwanga, 'Queen of Katwe'centers on PhionaРІР‚в„ўs life. These days, Phiona has more reasons to celebrate because this week, DisneyРІР‚в„ўs 'Queen of Katwe' is premiering in theaters. So I think that's the best thing I like in chess and I've gained in chess right now,' she said. We talked about it then and the only best thing we can do is just to buy a house. 'When we got money in chess, we talked with my coach. One of the most important things she gained from chess was the ability to buy her mom a house. Robert Katende teaching a class at the SOM Chess Academy in Katwe, Uganda.