QUEEN OF KATWE
Uganda, 2016, 124 minutes, Colour.
Madina Nalwanga, David Oyelowo, Lupita Nyong'o, Martin Kabanza, Taryn Kyazw, Esther Tabanddeke.
Directed by Mira Nair
It is important to realise immediately Katwe is a section of Kampala, capital of Uganda.It is a poor area, a slum area, makeshift homes, drains, much dirt and squalor, people surviving in menial jobs and at local markets. This is the setting for this rather inspirational drama, one of those stories about an unlikely prodigy, a seeming underdog, who trains, experiences conflicts, but succeeds in the area of their prowess.
In this case, it is chess.
The film is based on a true story, opening in 2011 with a chess tournament and going back to 2007 to show the discovery of Phiona and her talent for chess and the training and experiences building up to the tournament. In fact, the film does go on to some succeeding years with Phiona continuing her success – and, in a delightful and very pleasing way, the final credits having the cast of the film stand in front of the camera, one by one, with the actual character that each represented coming to stand beside them.
David Oyelowo (A United Kingdom, Martin Luther King in Selma) plays a sports coach, a former soccer player, who is employed by a ministry that has an outreach for poorer children in sport. He also has a talent for chess and invites a number of children from Katwe to a hall where they can learn to play chess, to use their minds and intelligence, to plan, to be courageous in fighting play, to learn lessons that will carry over into their lives. One day, following her brother, Phiona turns up, is ridiculed by the other students because she stinks, but she stays, defiant, washes at home and returns the next day and learns the basics.
Because of the warmth of the story and David Oyelowo’s playing as the coach, Robert Katende, the film has a very strong spirit. The other contribution, apart from Manding Nalwanga as Phiona, a 10-year-old girl with determination, is that of Lupita Nyong’s as Phiona’s mother, Harriet, a widow with several children, trying to cope by selling fish and corn at the market, a woman trying to manage and exerting strong discipline – although her oldest daughter goes off with one of the locals and, temporally, lives in some luxury.
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The film is directed by Indian director Mira Nair, director of such interesting films as Salaam Bombay, Mississippi Marsala, Monsoon Wedding, who has lived in Uganda for many years and knows her way around the city and capitalises with the use of actual locations.
Robert is able to raise money by playing football for the cash deposit for his group of children to play in an upper class college in Kampala, Phiona shocking the champion by beating him, the locals at home getting a great boost in spirit from her victory. This is something of the pattern that continues for some years, Robert’s sympathetic wife teaching Phiona to read so that she can study chess books, the discovery that she can see in her mind the consequences of a move eight moves ahead. Her chess education includes a triumphant visit to a competition in Sudan and a less favourable competition in Moscow.
At this pre-adolescent age, Phiona is not always able to deal with the consequences of success, seeing how the other half live, looking at her own conditions. But, she takes the matter in hand, supported by Robert and his wife, Robert also able to speak frankly and encouragingly with Phiona’s mother.
Obviously, the film is going to have a happy ending, Phiona is not yet 20 and articles and books have been written about her as the child chess prodigy – and the credit information supplies what has happened to all the characters, reminding audiences that if opportunities arise and are taken, success is possible.
Other chess films of interest include The Search for Bobby Fisher but, a film that parallels the story here, is the New Zealand true story film, The Dark Horse, with Cliff Curtis teaching children to play competitive chess.
1. A true story? An inspiring story? Affirmation, opportunity, strength of character?
2. A story from Uganda, for the Ugandan audience, African audiences, worldwide? The story of the human spirit?
3. The Katwe locations, the slums, the streets, makeshift homes, the poverty, squalor, the markets, smell? The contrast with Robert’s house? The school, the upper-class college, the venues for the national championships, Sudan, Russia? Authentic feel?
4. The musical score, the mood, the range of music?
5. Opening with the climax tournament in 2011, going back to 2007, seeing Fiona over the four years?
6. The introduction, Robert, his work in sports, for the Ministry, his past playing football, injuries, his wanting a job? Training the boys at football? His playing football in order to raise money for the entry into the competition? Marriage, love for his wife, daughter? His work, capacity for relationships? A good man?
7. Fiona and her family, Harriet, a strong woman, hard, the widow with the children, her work, the markets, discipline at home, the daily routines? Her children, the boys, the girls and, especially, Night, older, going off with the boys, the way of life? Fiona as serious? Brian serious?
8. The work of the Pioneers, Robert and the group, their seeing him as a coach, cleaning the hall, the tables, the children playing chess? Fiona curious, following Brian, the children reacting to her smell? Her determination, staying, washing at home, returning? Robert commending her? The young girl explaining the rules of chess? Phiona’s interest, capacity for learning, playing the games, winning – and the reaction of those losing to her? Talent, skills? Robert being alert to her?
9. Robert and the offer of a job, engineering – but his having to wait for the offer? Its coming later, but his involvement in chess? His turning the job down, explaining to his wife, her support of his doing what he did best?
10. Going to the Ministry, the snobbish attitude, the demand for the money to enter the poor children? The bus, going to the college, the impact on the slum children? The scholars, uniforms, manners? Fiona playing the champion and winning, the shock of the students? The medal, acclamation on her return home?
11. The effect on Fiona, learning to read, Robert’s wife teaching her? Her capacity for working out eight moves ahead? Home, pressures, the jobs? Her going to Sudan, the plane ride, the tournament, her winning, and further acclamation on her return?
12. Harriet, her strong stances, not understanding, her anger with Night, the experience of the floods? Night offering her money, her pride, Fiona making her accept? Fiona, reading at night, the expense of the paraffin? Her mother using the money to buy more paraffin and encouraging Fiona to read?
13. Brian, the accident, Fiona paying the man on the bike, the hospital, the sowing of stitches without anaesthetic? Harriet organising the escape, no payment? The woman demanding payment and evicting the family? The family wandering, looking for shelter?
14. The helpers getting the house, more space, Night and the revelation of her pregnancy?
15. The years passing, Fiona learning, playing, improving? But also becoming arrogant, the touch of envy for the high life that she had experienced?
16. Going to Russia, her losing, her reaction, sobbing? Robert and his apprehension, encouraging her? Robert and his philosophy of life? His telling Fiona his story, the absence of his mother, meeting her again at six, her death, wanting to give up but not giving up, opportunities?
17. Fiona, her decision to move out, the explanation to Robert, Robert and his wife allowing her to stay? Going to school, the uniform, classes, Brian also at school?
18. Robert, talking with Harriet, the explanations? Fiona visiting her mother at the market, the embrace?
19. The local support for Fiona, 2011, the tournament, everyone in the audience, including Harriet? The children understanding chess as they watched? Her opponent, tricking her, the victory?
20. The return, joy in Katwe? Taking Harriet to the new home, the comfort?
21. The credits, the song about the spice? The actors and their standing next to each of the characters they represented? The reality of the story on screen?
22. The perennial ingredients of sport and talent, underdog, overcoming difficulties – but always a strong spirit?
