Netflix has shared the official trailer and key art for Queen of Chess, a new documentary about real-life Hungarian chess legend Judit Polgár. The film will have its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 27 and begins streaming on Netflix on February 6.
In Queen of Chess, a 12-year-old Hungarian girl dreams of conquering the male-dominated world of international chess. As Judit Polgár blazes her way to the top, she sets her sights on beating world champion Garry Kasparov — and over a 15-year journey, discovers that it takes more than genius and grit to become one of the greatest chess players of all time.
In 1989, before Searching for Bobby Fischer and The Queen’s Gambit, a 12-year-old Hungarian prodigy named Judit Polgár embarked on a David-and-Goliath mission to become the top chess player of her generation, which meant going up against men who thought that women — nevermind young girls like her — could never be truly great at chess.
In particular, Judit had her eyes set on besting the top-ranked Garry Kasparov, whom some consider the greatest player of all time. What followed was a 13-year saga of thrilling wins, petulant opponents, dramatic showdowns, and surprising friendships as Judit charged toward her goal.
Queen of Chess was directed by Academy Award–nominated and Emmy–winning director Rory Kennedy (Downfall: The Case Against Boeing, The Volcano: Rescue From Whakaari, Last Days in Vietnam) and recounts Judit’s stunning entrance into the world of chess, and how she battled against fusty, old ideas of what female chess players could be capable of.
Through in-depth interviews with Judit, now in her 40s, her family, Kasparov, and other chess pros, charting the story of a little girl raised within a family experiment to create geniuses. By 12, she would become the No. 1 female player in the world.
By 15, she would beat Bobby Fischer’s record as the youngest grandmaster of all time. But as Judit got older, found love, and began to find her own path, she began to understand what success really means for those who dare to break new ground.
“We are living in a moment when so many people are still fighting for equal footing — Judit’s life shows what can happen when one person has the resolve to break through barriers,” Kennedy said.
She added, “I’m thrilled to be premiering Queen of Chess at Sundance, a festival that helped launch my career many years ago and means so much to me and Mark, my producing partner and husband. With this film, my team and I hope to give Judit Polgár, the greatest female chess player in history, the spotlight that her groundbreaking journey deserves.
“We are excited to bring Judit’s story to Netflix, where people around the world will be able to witness just what is possible when we challenge assumptions about gender, talent, and opportunity.”
The producers of Queen of Chess include Rory Kennedy, Mark Bailey, and Keven McAlester. Peter Stern, Gabor Harmi, Galen Walker, Stephen Nemeth, Regina K. Scully, and Meryl Metni are the executive producers.
Mark Bailey and Keven McAlester are the writers, Jesse Overman and Azin Samari are the editors, and the music is by Camilo Forero and Chris Brocato for Bleeding Fingers Music. The documentary is a Moxie Films production.
