Queen to Play, a French film (with English subtitles) where chess is portrayed as a means to personal fulfillment, is set to be released November 24th on DVD. When it premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in April, it was described by Genna Teranova as follows:
An inquisitive French Riviera hotel maid (Sandrine Bonnaire) becomes entranced by a vacationing couple (Jennifer Beals, Dominic Gould) as they play chess on the hotel balcony. Tired of her humdrum existence, she quickly cultivates her curiosity for the game into an obsession. Her working-class husband doesn’t share her fascination with the game, so she employs the help of the American expat and retired doctor (Kevin Kline) whose house she cleans a few times a week. As her passion for the game increases, her natural talent and hard work (done mostly in secret) lead her to a chance at a championship and a new shot at life.
Bob Basalla, take note. See reviews by Rene Rodriguez and Frank Scheck. Hat tip: Chess.com.
