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 "God knows there's an immense paucity of films about anything
to do with Africa that is about a specific place or specific
street or country or character. It's always a kind of colonial
nostalgia that we're presented," director Mira Nair said.
"The story of Phiona specifically was the inspiration. I'm
always inspired by people who make something out of nothing,"
she added.
The slums of Katwe become a character within "Queen of Katwe,"
out in U.S. movie theaters on Friday, providing the backdrop for
Mutesi's humble small world as the child is taught chess by
charity worker Robert Katende, who is played by David Oyelowo.
She eventually rises the ranks of the chess world to play on the
Ugandan team as a teenager in the 2010 Chess Olympiad in Russia.
"Though they live in a world of struggle, that is not what
defines who they are," Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong'o, who plays
Mutesi's mother Harriet, said of the Katwe community.
"You see a lot of personality, color and style. Uganda has a
style that would make you gasp, I tell you," she added.
In the film, Mutesi often doubts her abilities, but it is the
calm, upbeat and optimistic 'Coach' Katende who keeps guiding
her to believe in herself.
Both the real life Mutesi and Katende joined the cast to discuss
the film at its Toronto film festival premiere earlier in
September. It is based on a book by sportswriter Tim Crothers.
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Mutesi said she still cannot believe that her life is on the big
screen, but her ambitions will not stop with Hollywood.
"I want to become a lawyer in my academics and I also want to become
a Grandmaster in chess. I'm still playing chess, and I also want to
become a teacher in chess," she said.
As for the people of Katwe, many of whom were involved in the shoot
as extras or assistants to the production team, the film presents
new opportunities, Katende said.
"The whole community became so vibrant, and then also looking at the
whole story, it's more like creating hope because people in there,
they live in a vicious cycle, so right now they say 'no, I think we
can break this cycle,'" he said.
(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy; editing by Jill Serjeant and Grant
McCool)
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