The “Queen Of Katwe” is the inspiring true story about finding hope in the most unlikely of places. The story is set in a shantytown in Uganda and focuses on the main character, 10-year-old Phiona (Madina Nalwanga), who lives in harsh conditions with her mother, Harriet (Lupita Nyong’o) and younger members of her family. Life is a struggle and there seems to be little to no upward mobility to attain a better life.
Phiona life changes when she stumbles upon the chess school run by the kind-hearted, Robert Katende (David Oyelowo), who hopes to give the children under his guidance the confidence and skills to improve their current status. For Robert, life is a game of chess and is a metaphor for life and, to him, major life decisions can be made quickly or with strategic grace and thinking.
Under the guidance of Robert and her fellow chess players, Phiona realizes that she is a natural at the sport and she not only becomes the best player in her club but eventually her region and then the country.
This little gem of a Disney film is both realistic in its portrayal of everyday life yet throughout the film offers hope and the constant promise of a better future for its characters. The film does not shy away from the pressures of everyday life and the desperate situation some people are in and the normal teenage emotional rollercoaster young people go through.
Well worth watching!
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