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English Titles F

Fahim, the Little Chess Prince

Original title: Fahim
German title: Fahim
France, 2019

Director: Martin-Laval, Pierre François
Production company: Waiting for Cinéma
Co-producers: Wild Bunch, Alicéleo, France 3 Cinéma, CN8 Productions, Delta Cinéma, Fruits d'Hommes Productions
Age recommendation: 12 years and up
Length: 107 min.
Film genre: Feature film

Synopsis:
Forced to flee his native Bangladesh, eight year-old chess prodigy Fahim arrives in Paris with his father. Refused asylum, as illegal immigrants they spiral downwards into homelessness and desperation.
By a stroke of luck, Fahim is introduced to one of France’s top chess coaches, Sylvain (real name: Xavier Parmentier), who tutors him and gives him a sense of purpose - his struggles on the chessboard mirroring both his victories and his crushing defeats in his battle for a normal life.
Fahim then rises through local and national tournaments only to be crowned France’s Under-12 Chess Champion in 2012.
The film tells the story of a child who learns to live without his mother and without his father, far from home, from his roots and his language. Fahim’s tale is not only a moving account of the grim realities that underlie a supposedly caring society, but also a heartwarming testimony to a father’s determination, the kindness of strangers, and one small boy’s courageous will to succeed.

Festivals:
Warsaw IFF 2019, Namur FF 2019 (awarded), Hamburg IFF 2019, Juniorfest Plzen 2019, New York CFF 2020 (awarded), FIFEM Montreal 2020 (awarded), BUFF Malmö 2020, Belmont CFF 2021

World sales address/es:
Driver, Elle (FR)

Sold to:
Wild Bunch (FR)