Queen of Katwe is the heartfelt story of a young girl who discovers how the game of chess could change the lives of her and her family forever. Centred on the empowerment of women in Uganda, a hunger for determination, and finding the willpower to make life-changing decisions, this film has a lot to say in its 124min runtime.
Living in the slums of Katwe, Uganda, 10 year-old Phiona Mutesi (Madina Nalwanga) struggles with her daily chores of selling corn in the local street market. While she desperately wants more from life, she also has wisdom beyond her years and is driven to help her family make ends meet. Each chore she completes contributes to the essential funds for providing food and shelter for her family. Phiona embodies strength and determination, a trait she shares with her widowed mother, Nakku (Lupita Nyong'o, The Force Awakens/ Black Panther). The entrance of Robert Katende (David Oyelowo, Selma/ A United Kingdom) into the story is a turning point. While he is a Football Coach and Missionary Leader he chooses to step away to teach a group of children the game of chess. Phiona's spark is ignited as she learns the rules and soon realizes that she capable of taking her chess training to new heights by competing in school competitions for money.
Photo: Queen of Katwe. Disney/Buena Vista
In the face of poverty and self-doubt, Phiona battles against overwhelming odds, deeply questioning her abilities to compete with opponents from more privileged backgrounds. Her older sister Night's choice to seek money through relationships with ‘sugar daddies’ stands in strong contrast to Phiona's unwavering commitment to avoiding a similar path. With a desire to break free from her circumstances, Phiona seeks guidance from her chess mentor, Katende, fearing the possibility of having to follow in her sister’s footsteps. There’s an incredible moment in the film, one of vulnerability for Phiona, she shares her concerns with Katende, expressing her fear of being trapped “soon men will come after me” she says "Where is my safe square, coach?" The delivery is a powerful tying of chess and life with a simple question and it’s a moment you have to see.
Despite the immense challenges she faces, Phiona's determination, coupled with Katende's steadfast support, serves as a testament to their refusal to fail. Phiona's unwavering belief in herself and the game becomes an unstoppable driving force for her and it leaves you wanting to push your own life forward.
Photo: Disney/Buena Vista
There are some great performances in the film from the entire ensemble cast. Phiona’s friend in the movie Gloria (Nikita Pearl Waligwa) sadly passed away from Brain Cancer in mid-February 2020. She was only 15. Also worthy of mentioning is that this was Madina’s (Phiona) acting debut. Congratulations go out to her!
On the technical side, Queen of Katwe is shot with beautiful colour depth and clarity. It would have been a bonus to see a 4K HDR release here, but Disney stuck with 1080p. IMDB also states a Dolby Atmos track was created; however, it is absent on the film's Blu-Ray.
The movie premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2016, where I first heard about it while working at Roy Thompson Hall. "Queen of Katwe" can be streamed on Disney+ for subscribers. Please click the little heart below if you like the film, and thank you for reading.
Queen of Katwe
Directed by: Mira Nair
Score: B+