Film: Queen of Katwe

Accessible Screening

This inspiring film from director Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding) tells the true story of Phiona Mutesi, a young girl living in a Ugandan slum with her siblings and struggling mother, who discovers an unexpected aptitude for chess that gives her the chance for a better life for her and her family. Madina Nalwanga, a first-time Ugandan actor who had never even seen a film before she was cast by Nair, gives a memorably touching lead performance, with outstanding support from Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave) as her mother and David Oyelowo (Selma) as real-life chess coach Robert Katende.

On the last Saturday of every month, the museum’s Family Matinee is an accessible screening where we offer open captioning, keep the theater dimly lit, and maintain a lower volume for viewers who are neurodiverse.

DIRECTED BY: Mira Nair. WRITTEN: William Wheeler. WITH: David Oyelowo, Lupita Nyong’o, Madina Nalwanga, Martin Kabanza. 2016. 124 min. USA. Color. Scope. English. Rated PG; recommended for ages 10+. DCP.