Cast and director of discuss their personal connections to the true story of a young chess prodigy in Uganda

Record ID: 899927

  • Title: Cast and director of discuss their personal connections to the true story of a young chess prodigy in Uganda
  • Date: 29th September 2016
  • Summary: TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA (FILE - SEPTEMBER 11, 2016) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR, DAVID OYELOWO, SAYING: "I think the fact that she's a woman is the reason why our protagonist is a young girl, there would be a temptation, I would argue, if a man had directed this film that my character would be the protagonist. That's what we often see, a coach goes in and helps these kids achieve this and that and the other, and we've seen that and this is infinitely more interesting and certainly more inspiring to me."
  • Embargoed: 13th October 2016 02:24
  • Keywords: chess Lupita Nyongo true story Film David Oyelowo Mira Nair Disney Queen of Katwe Africa Uganda
  • Location: TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA / VARIOUS FILMING LOCATIONS
  • City: TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA / VARIOUS FILMING LOCATIONS
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Film
  • Reuters ID: LVA00651HFK25
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:"Queen of Katwe" is the uplifting drama about a young chess champion from the slums of Uganda - and it's a film the cast and director have very personal connections with.
    The film follows Phiona Mutesi who is living with her mother (Lupita Nyong'o) and siblings in poverty, in Katwe until she stumbles across a chess class run by charity worker, Robert Katende (David Oyelowo).
    Phiona becomes so passionate about chess and then so good that she ends up playing in international tournaments despite not having any formal education.
    Nyong'o has told Reuters that director Mira Nair was the perfect person to bring the true story the big screen: "Mira brings absolute authenticity and love to the story. Her having lived in Uganda for over 20 years, she knows this place and she loves this place and she was so convicted to showing these people as full, full-fledged human beings and although they live in a world of struggle, that is not what defines who they are."
    Likewise, Nair, who is best known for making "Monsoon Wedding" and "Vanity Fair" has explained the she only ever had Nyong'o in mind for the lead female role.
    "I have known Lupita for many years as a young person, we are family friends actually and she worked as an intern in my office for a couple of years while I was making The Namesake," she told Reuters.
    "She was also in my film school, Maisha, and she made her first films there I think in 2006. So I know Lupita and I also know and love her meteoric rise as a real Hollywood, bona fide star and always conceived that she would play Harriet."
    David Oyelowo plays the male lead as the chess coach who spots the potential in Harriet's daughter. The actor also has a connection with Uganda that affected him deeply.
    He explained: "For me, when I've been in Uganda particularly because I've done two films there now, because I did 'The Last King of Scotland' there as well, the joy that they are able to have in the midst of very difficult circumstances is something that is so exemplary considering our western privileged society where we have so much more and I think we're a lot more depressed personally."
    "Queen of Katwe" is in theaters now.
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