Fahim

Fahim, the Little Chess Prince
Director
Pierre-François Martin-Laval
Country
France
Year
2019
Genre
Fiction
Scriptwriters
Pierre-François Martin-Laval, Thibault Vanhulle, Philippe Elno
Cast
Gérard Depardieu, Isabelle Nanty, Pierre-François Martin-Laval, Didier Flamand, Pierre Gommé, Emmanuel Ménard, Ahmed Assad, Lola Zidi-Rénier, Mizanur Rahaman, Alfredo Lorenzo
Production
Waiting for Cinéma, Wild Bunch Production, Alicéléo, France 3 Cinéma, CN8 Productions, Delta Cinéma, Fruits d'Hommes Productions

Storyline

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 & Academy awards and others

Goyas Awards 2021
Candidate for Best European Film Nomination

Releases

Spain (13 of March 2020)

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