Although the script is a little flat – just because the story is true doesn’t mean it should feel so predictable – Nair gives the film tons of energy and joy.
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Lupita Nyong’o attended the premiere of “Queen of Katwe” wearing an Elie Saab gown and Neil J. Rodgers heels.
In this image released by Disney, Lupita Nyong’o, right, and Madina Nalwanga appear in a scene from “Queen of Katwe”.
Meanwhile in London, England, the stars of The Girl on the Train also upped the style stakes, with Emily Blunt gliding into the world premiere in Leicester Square on Tuesday night.
Oyelowo has been riding a wave of critical acclaim he netted two years ago for his portrayal of Martin Luther King in Selma.
Also on the “Katwe” red carpet on September 20 was co-star David Oyelowo rocking patent, tasseled slip-ons. Soundtracking this extraordinary story about a young Ugandan chess champion is Alicia Keys with her soaring new song “Back To Life”. “The fact that it was based on a true story, an uplifting story out of Africa”. “That has an effect on people’s perspective on Africa”. Hollywood loves an underdog story, and Mutesi’s might be the ultimate.
Katende sacrifices a promising career as an engineer to help Phiona and other slum kids learn chess. But, as Nair says, “Like Phiona, she’s harnessed her potential and thankfully the world has rewarded her for it”. “It teaches patience. You know the goal is to get to the king, but if you focus purely on that you will get picked off early”.
Nair excels at capturing the essence of Katwe, this lively community that may be stricken with poverty, social ills and environmental disaster, but suffers no shortage of hopes, dreams, and interconnected unity and pride.
“By and large, that doesn’t make for such an interesting character”, he says. Nair doesn’t quite nail the cinematic suspense of the chess matches, which has been accomplished in other films of this nature (the similar Cliff Curtis film “The Dark Horse” has a bit more vigor).
Based on the description of the Disney film, Mutesi used to live on the streets of Katwe before she came across Katende’s outreach ministry, which uses the game of chess to encourage children. “That is when I became serious and said, ‘Now this is now going beyond what I have ever even thought of.’ So I had to see how best I can really take her now to that even prepare psychologically”.
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He told the Press Association: “From page one when I saw Disney on the cover, I just couldn’t believe Disney were making this movie”.
