A quarter-century after lending his voice to Z in Disney’s CG feature “Antz,” Woody Allen is set to return to the recording booth and narrate the upcoming Spanish animated short “Mr. Fischer’s Chair,” which will formally add several key co-producers during this year’s Annecy Festival. The film’s directors have also given Variety an exclusive look at early concept art for the project.
“Mr. Fischer’s Chair” revisits the 1972 World Chess Championship, where Bobby Fischer faced off against Boris Spassky. During game 17 of their “Match of the Century,” the Soviet team accused the Americans of manipulating Fischer’s chair to maliciously harm his opponent, leading to an exhaustive examination of the Eames Executive seat.
The film is created and directed by filmmakers and producers Xosé Zapata and Lorenzo Degl’ Innocenti, who recently teamed on the Spanish Academy Goya Award-winning animated short “The Monkey.” Zapata is handling the screenplay.
“Mr. Fischer’s Chair” revisits the 1972 World Chess Championship, where Bobby Fischer faced off against Boris Spassky. During game 17 of their “Match of the Century,” the Soviet team accused the Americans of manipulating Fischer’s chair to maliciously harm his opponent, leading to an exhaustive examination of the Eames Executive seat.
The film is created and directed by filmmakers and producers Xosé Zapata and Lorenzo Degl’ Innocenti, who recently teamed on the Spanish Academy Goya Award-winning animated short “The Monkey.” Zapata is handling the screenplay.
- 6/7/2024
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Twenty-five years ago, Liz Garbus pulled out her Cover Girl compact at the Oscars just before the winner of best documentary was announced. The Manhattan-raised filmmaker didn’t think her 1998 doc, The Farm: Angola, USA, which she co-directed with Jonathan Stack, would win, but wanted to be prepared. The caked powder spilled all over her gown. “As soon as they did not call us, I thought, ‘Phew, I don’t need to go up there with powder all over my dress,'” she says of the fleeting moment when losing felt like a blessing. “And then being like, ‘Wait, no,'” she recalls of the disappointment settling in.
Netflix vp original documentary features and series Adam Del Deo — then just an aspiring doc producer — kept close track of Garbus’ prolific career after seeing The Farm at the Sundance Film Festival. He was blown away by her deep curiosity and ability...
Netflix vp original documentary features and series Adam Del Deo — then just an aspiring doc producer — kept close track of Garbus’ prolific career after seeing The Farm at the Sundance Film Festival. He was blown away by her deep curiosity and ability...
- 3/17/2023
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Updated with settlement, 1:25 Pm: Netflix has settled the 5 million lawsuit filed against the streamer over its hit limited The Queen’s Gambit. Terms of the settlement reached today weren’t announced.
The suit was filed by Soviet chess icon Nona Gaprindashvili, who alleged sexism and historical inaccuracy in the series starring Anya Taylor-Joy as Beth Harmon. In the final episode, as Harmon plays in a stress-fueled 1968 match in Moscow against a male challenger, a commentator says, “There’s Nona Gaprindashvili, but she’s the female world champion and has never faced men.”
Read details of the case below.
Previously, January 27: Netflix’s stock is rising again after a rough week, but the streamer took a hit Thursday in court over The Queen’s Gambit.
A federal judge denied the streamer’s desire to see dismissed Soviet chess icon Nona Gaprindashvili’s 5 million seeking complaint of sexism and historical inaccuracy...
The suit was filed by Soviet chess icon Nona Gaprindashvili, who alleged sexism and historical inaccuracy in the series starring Anya Taylor-Joy as Beth Harmon. In the final episode, as Harmon plays in a stress-fueled 1968 match in Moscow against a male challenger, a commentator says, “There’s Nona Gaprindashvili, but she’s the female world champion and has never faced men.”
Read details of the case below.
Previously, January 27: Netflix’s stock is rising again after a rough week, but the streamer took a hit Thursday in court over The Queen’s Gambit.
A federal judge denied the streamer’s desire to see dismissed Soviet chess icon Nona Gaprindashvili’s 5 million seeking complaint of sexism and historical inaccuracy...
- 9/6/2022
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Poised to win big at this weekend’s 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards, The Queen’s Gambit is now a pawn in a legal game.
Barrier breaking Soviet chess icon Nona Gaprindashvili has sued Netflix for $5 million in a defamation lawsuit over a line in the Anya Taylor-Joy starrer.
Specifically, Gaprindashvili is perturbed by the seemingly incorrect statement in the ‘End Game’ finale of the limited series that compares her real life accomplishments to that of the Taylor-Joy’s fictional Beth Harmon. “The only unusual thing about her, really, is her sex, and even that’s not unique in Russia,” a commentator quips as Harmon plays in a white knuckle match in Moscow. “There’s Nona Gaprindashvili, but she’s the female world champion and has never faced men.”
Umm, not so much.
“Gaprindashvili is a pioneer of women’s chess and a much-loved icon in her native country of Georgia.
Barrier breaking Soviet chess icon Nona Gaprindashvili has sued Netflix for $5 million in a defamation lawsuit over a line in the Anya Taylor-Joy starrer.
Specifically, Gaprindashvili is perturbed by the seemingly incorrect statement in the ‘End Game’ finale of the limited series that compares her real life accomplishments to that of the Taylor-Joy’s fictional Beth Harmon. “The only unusual thing about her, really, is her sex, and even that’s not unique in Russia,” a commentator quips as Harmon plays in a white knuckle match in Moscow. “There’s Nona Gaprindashvili, but she’s the female world champion and has never faced men.”
Umm, not so much.
“Gaprindashvili is a pioneer of women’s chess and a much-loved icon in her native country of Georgia.
- 9/16/2021
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
If you, too, were on the edge of your seat while binge-watching Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit, you’re not alone. Based on the 1983 Walter Tevis book of the same name (which takes its title from a popular move), the limited-run series about fictional chess prodigy Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor Joy) set viewership records to the tune of 62 million households in its first 28 days, says the streaming service. The coming-of-age story follows orphaned Harmon as she rises through the ranks in the Sixties and Seventies, proving to be (spoiler alert!
- 12/18/2020
- by Danielle Directo-Meston
- Rollingstone.com
Hollywood’s love affair with boxing, underdog stories, and the struggles of the common man continues with Chuck, a true story which manages to breathe some fresh life into the well-worn genre. Liev Schreiber stars as Chuck Wepner, a New Jersey boxing hero in the early ‘70s, who’d earned the nicknamed ‘The Bayonne Bleeder’ (the film’s original, better title) because of the copious amounts of blood he’d lose during an average fight. In 1975 legendary boxing promoter Don King informed Chuck’s manager Al Braverman (Ron Perlman) that Muhammed Ali was looking to fight a white heavyweight after the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ and Wepner happened to be the highest ranking one around. Ali was expected to make quick work of Wepner, but The Bleeder surprised everyone by going the distance and even knocking The Champ down (the fight was called in Ali’s favor 19 seconds before the...
- 5/19/2017
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Yawningly dull Cold War chess drama squanders the charms and talents of Tobey Maguire (as Bobby Fischer) and Liev Schreiber (as Boris Spassky). Desperately wants competitive chess to be seen as exciting, inspiring, and metaphoric in all sorts of directions, from the political to the personal, and fails miserably. I’m “biast” (pro): like the cast
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
(My Ratings posts are a quick way for me to share my reaction to a film. This post will be updated if/when I ever write a review. Feel free to discuss the movie in depth in the comments section.)
See also my #WhereAreTheWomen rating of Pawn Sacrifice for its representation of girls and women.
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
(My Ratings posts are a quick way for me to share my reaction to a film. This post will be updated if/when I ever write a review. Feel free to discuss the movie in depth in the comments section.)
See also my #WhereAreTheWomen rating of Pawn Sacrifice for its representation of girls and women.
- 12/23/2015
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
At a loss for what to watch this week? From new DVDs and Blu-rays, to what's streaming on Netflix, we've got you covered.
New Video on Demand, Rental Streaming, and Digital Only
"The Martian"
You can bring Matt Damon home -- at least through digital download -- just in time to meet your family for the holidays. "The Martian," based on the best-selling novel by Andy Weir, is arriving on Digital HD on December 22, with the Blu-ray and DVD releases to follow on January 12. The 3D Blu-ray, Blu-ray and Digital HD releases have more than 90 minutes of special features, including an exclusive in-world retrospective starring Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Sean Bean, covering the "true" story behind the daring rescue seven years after the events of the film. There are also two making-of documentaries, a gag reel, and more.
"Hotel Transylvania 2"
The adorable "Hotel Transylvania" sequel reunites the "Drac's...
New Video on Demand, Rental Streaming, and Digital Only
"The Martian"
You can bring Matt Damon home -- at least through digital download -- just in time to meet your family for the holidays. "The Martian," based on the best-selling novel by Andy Weir, is arriving on Digital HD on December 22, with the Blu-ray and DVD releases to follow on January 12. The 3D Blu-ray, Blu-ray and Digital HD releases have more than 90 minutes of special features, including an exclusive in-world retrospective starring Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Sean Bean, covering the "true" story behind the daring rescue seven years after the events of the film. There are also two making-of documentaries, a gag reel, and more.
"Hotel Transylvania 2"
The adorable "Hotel Transylvania" sequel reunites the "Drac's...
- 12/21/2015
- by Gina Carbone
- Moviefone
On Demand DVD New Releases Dec. 21-27 Pan Peter is a mischievous boy who is whisked off to the world of Neverland, where he finds adventures and discovers his true destiny — to become the hero Peter Pan. Hugh Jackman, Garrett Hedlund, Levi Miller (PG, 1:51) 12/22 Pawn Sacrifice Bobby Fischer became an American chess legend. At a young age, he learned and relentlessly practiced moves of the masters of the day. Studying the Russians, he had one goal in his mind: beat them to become the world’s top chess player. Fischer’s road to Russian champion Boris Spassky is filled … Continue reading →
The post On Demand DVD New Releases Dec. 21-27 appeared first on Channel Guide Magazine.
The post On Demand DVD New Releases Dec. 21-27 appeared first on Channel Guide Magazine.
- 12/21/2015
- by Meredith Ennis
- ChannelGuideMag
I’ve always been fascinated by Bobby Fischer due to his vanishing rather than anything he accomplished at a chessboard. I’ve never been good at the game, yet I respect its complexity. The greats literally memorize past matches and maneuvers, so in-tune with the playing field that they can play out loud with nothing more than words. Fischer was a great—the youngest Grandmaster in history and the first American-born World Champion. Like most geniuses, however, the strain of intellect, pressure, and success brought with it a hefty price. For Bobby it was the deterioration of his mental health. And as it’s told in Edward Zwick‘s Pawn Sacrifice, he may have known this from the beginning. If he were to rise to the top, the time was now.
My knowledge of the man was always miniscule: a footnote to a 1980s film I watched religiously called Searching for Bobby Fischer.
My knowledge of the man was always miniscule: a footnote to a 1980s film I watched religiously called Searching for Bobby Fischer.
- 10/2/2015
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
Pawn Sacrifice takes us back to the days of the Cold War and to a time when chess prodigy Bobby Fischer was one of the biggest celebrities in the world.
Tobey Maguire plays the brilliant chess player in the film, who is ever so determined to become the world champion and defeat the Soviet Union, which has dominated the game for years. His journey to winning brings him face to face with the Soviet chess grandmaster, Boris Spassky (Live Schreiber), in what turns out to be the match of the century. But Fischer’s quest for victory soon becomes hobbled by his own obsessions and paranoia, and it comes to reveal a deep mental illness from which he may never recover.
A couple of weeks ago, we attended the La press day for Pawn Sacrifice, where we spoke with Maguire and director Ed Zwick. They discussed the lengths taken to...
Tobey Maguire plays the brilliant chess player in the film, who is ever so determined to become the world champion and defeat the Soviet Union, which has dominated the game for years. His journey to winning brings him face to face with the Soviet chess grandmaster, Boris Spassky (Live Schreiber), in what turns out to be the match of the century. But Fischer’s quest for victory soon becomes hobbled by his own obsessions and paranoia, and it comes to reveal a deep mental illness from which he may never recover.
A couple of weeks ago, we attended the La press day for Pawn Sacrifice, where we spoke with Maguire and director Ed Zwick. They discussed the lengths taken to...
- 9/19/2015
- by Ben Kenber
- We Got This Covered
The Bobby Fischer biopic Pawn Sacrifice builds to the international psychodrama of the Fischer–Boris Spassky match in 1972 in Iceland. The joke — which isn’t portrayed as a joke but utterly straight — is that at a crucial point in the Cold War, when the U.S. was culturally and militarily devastated by the Vietnam debacle, the country’s propaganda hopes were pinned on a paranoid nutjob. With a paranoid nutjob in the White House, this could be depicted as strangely fitting, although political satire is not on director Ed Zwick’s mind. This is another moderately interesting but shallow biopic with an actor going for broke — to win, not to draw.As Fischer, Tobey Maguire has an eagerness to please — to deliver the goods — that’s at odds with the young Fischer’s tunnel vision. In a key scene, Zwick digitally substitutes Maguire for the real Fischer in a ’71 interview...
- 9/18/2015
- by David Edelstein
- Vulture
Set during the 1972 World Chess Championship, in "Pawn Sacrifice" (Bleecker Street, September 18) Tobey Maguire plays brilliant but troubled Brooklyn chess maverick Bobby Fischer as he faces off against his level-headed Russian rival Boris Spassky (Liev Schreiber) in the most famous chess match ever. Fischer struggles to keep his head on straight, which drives his various handlers nuts, because he can't be counted on to even show up. Ed Zwick is a director who can handle intimate television ("Relativity," "Once and Again") and epic spectacle ("Courage Under Fire," "The Last Samurai," "Blood Diamond," "Glory"); this drama combines both. Zwick got a great performance out of Schreiber in "Defiance"; he is also strong here. Maguire has never been better; this could mark a comeback for him. The movie scored at Toronto 2014 and was acquired by Bleecker Street which has so far delivered modest art-house hits...
- 9/17/2015
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
This film was originally reviewed at Tiff 2014.
Edward Zwick is a great filmmaker, but he rarely gives you subtlety. Some have criticized his medium-to-large-budget action films – titles that include Glory, Defiance and Blood Diamond – as too simplistic, which would have stained those efforts more if they were not so compelling and exciting. So, to hear that the director was behind a film about the introspective game of chess and its most famous player, the complex and controversial Bobby Fischer, was nerve-wracking. Would the film skimp on the nuances of the New York chess sensation? Could the Last Samurai director figure out a way to depict the game in an inventive way onscreen?
Well, although Zwick has still not managed to find a way to visually communicate the game of wits and cunning, he has still made a biopic and thriller that should entertain those who do not even know how to play chess.
Edward Zwick is a great filmmaker, but he rarely gives you subtlety. Some have criticized his medium-to-large-budget action films – titles that include Glory, Defiance and Blood Diamond – as too simplistic, which would have stained those efforts more if they were not so compelling and exciting. So, to hear that the director was behind a film about the introspective game of chess and its most famous player, the complex and controversial Bobby Fischer, was nerve-wracking. Would the film skimp on the nuances of the New York chess sensation? Could the Last Samurai director figure out a way to depict the game in an inventive way onscreen?
Well, although Zwick has still not managed to find a way to visually communicate the game of wits and cunning, he has still made a biopic and thriller that should entertain those who do not even know how to play chess.
- 9/17/2015
- by Jordan Adler
- We Got This Covered
Pawn Sacrifice is a gripping true story set during the height of the Cold War. American chess prodigy Bobby Fischer (Tobey Maguire) finds himself caught between two superpowers when he challenges the Soviet Empire. Also starring Liev Schreiber and Peter Sarsgaard, Pawn Sacrifice chronicles Fischer’s terrifying struggles with genius and madness, and the rise and fall of a kid from Brooklyn who captured the imagination of the world. Pawn Sacrifice is produced by Gail Katz, known for her work on such films as Air Force One, In The Line Of Fire, and The Perfect Storm. She has numerous projects in development including a television series based on the international hit board game “The Settlers of Catan.” Maxim Dlugy is a chess Grandmaster. He was born in Moscow, Ussr. He arrived with his family in the United States in 1977. He was awarded the International Master title in 1982. He won the...
- 9/16/2015
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Pawn Sacrifice
Written by Steven Knight
Directed by Edward Zwick
USA, 2014
Locke, the most recent film directed by Steven Knight, is a masterpiece of focus. With the help of his clutter-free screenplay and a stunning performance from Tom Hardy, Knight makes watching someone drive a car for ninety minutes as thrilling as the most opulent Hollywood set pieces. Although the camera’s perspective doesn’t change much throughout the film, and Hardy is the only person onscreen, the thrilling tale of a man whose life spirals out of control is never anything less than riveting. By necessity, the film is focused in a way few others are, and the concentration makes for a one-of-a-kind cinematic experience.
It’s a shame, then, that Knight can’t bring the same focus to his latest screenplay, Pawn Sacrifice (directed by Edward Zwick), a by-the-numbers biopic of American chess prodigy Bobby Fischer (Tobey Maguire...
Written by Steven Knight
Directed by Edward Zwick
USA, 2014
Locke, the most recent film directed by Steven Knight, is a masterpiece of focus. With the help of his clutter-free screenplay and a stunning performance from Tom Hardy, Knight makes watching someone drive a car for ninety minutes as thrilling as the most opulent Hollywood set pieces. Although the camera’s perspective doesn’t change much throughout the film, and Hardy is the only person onscreen, the thrilling tale of a man whose life spirals out of control is never anything less than riveting. By necessity, the film is focused in a way few others are, and the concentration makes for a one-of-a-kind cinematic experience.
It’s a shame, then, that Knight can’t bring the same focus to his latest screenplay, Pawn Sacrifice (directed by Edward Zwick), a by-the-numbers biopic of American chess prodigy Bobby Fischer (Tobey Maguire...
- 9/16/2015
- by Max Bledstein
- SoundOnSight
The following review was originally part of our Tiff 2014 coverage. Plot: The true story of troubled chess champion Bobby Fischer (Tobey Maguire) who – at the height of the Cold War – played a series of famous chess matches against Russian champ Boris Spassky (Liev Schreiber). Review: Bobby Fischer is an utterly fascinating figure. A couple of years ago, there was an absolutely brilliant... Read More...
- 9/16/2015
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Is anybody better at playing a dotty, preoccupied genius than Tobey Maguire? His brow’s worried furrows and unsettlingly inward-gazing eyes made him convincingly uncanny as the natural born writer in “Wonder Boys,” and he gave even Spider-Man a visionary gleam. In “Pawn Sacrifice,” Maguire has a tougher nut to crack: Bobby Fischer, the chess champ who became a deranged recluse advocating “Death to America” and the deportation of all white Americans to Europe. Chess masters are often a bit out there: Fischer’s 1972 Iceland world championship rival Boris Spassky (played with magnetic savoir faire by Liev Schreiber) really did make.
- 9/15/2015
- by Tim Appelo
- The Wrap
With one of the most successful summers on record, the book on 2015's summer tentpoles has been closed. Normally, this would worry us, as this is a stereotypical dead zone for theatrical releases. However, 2015 looks like it was so stuffed with quality releases that they've actually scheduled some of this year's better efforts in a time when your choices are limited to either a rock or a hard place. We know the multiplex looks barren right now. Better things are coming, though, and soon! Enjoy this list of 10 great-looking films that are slated to drop within the next 30 days. Pawn Sacrifice . 9/16 The story of Bobby Fischer's historic chess match against Soviet champion Boris Spassky in 1972 seems like it would be more fodder for a documentary than a narrative film. But with Tobey Maguire and Liev Schreiber playing the roles of Fischer and Spassky in Pawn Sacrifice, a story that highlights...
- 9/8/2015
- cinemablend.com
Coming to theaters in two weeks is director Ed Zwick’s riveting Pawn Sacrifice.
It’s the story of Bobby Fischer, America’s foremost chess player, who faced the reigning champion, Boris Spassky of Russia, in a series of matches that held the world spellbound.
For fans of 1972’s “Match of the Century,” the film is everything you’re hoping for. Zwick’s movie is flawless right down to the re-enactment of the 1971 interview with Dick Cavett.
Bobby Fischer first makes waves in the elite world of chess as a 6-year-old whiz-kid from Brooklyn famous for his laser-like concentration and ability to dominate all challengers. By his teens, the boy wonder has gone from chess savant to international grandmaster, but his meteoric rise is punctuated by unpredictable personal behavior and escalating demands that raise hackles in the conservative chess establishment.
As he travels the globe with manager Paul Marshall (Michael Stuhlbarg...
It’s the story of Bobby Fischer, America’s foremost chess player, who faced the reigning champion, Boris Spassky of Russia, in a series of matches that held the world spellbound.
For fans of 1972’s “Match of the Century,” the film is everything you’re hoping for. Zwick’s movie is flawless right down to the re-enactment of the 1971 interview with Dick Cavett.
Bobby Fischer first makes waves in the elite world of chess as a 6-year-old whiz-kid from Brooklyn famous for his laser-like concentration and ability to dominate all challengers. By his teens, the boy wonder has gone from chess savant to international grandmaster, but his meteoric rise is punctuated by unpredictable personal behavior and escalating demands that raise hackles in the conservative chess establishment.
As he travels the globe with manager Paul Marshall (Michael Stuhlbarg...
- 9/3/2015
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
As the days get darker and the cold winds of Autumn approach, it’s time to look ahead at the upcoming movies set to hit cinemas this Fall.
The huge slate includes the return of the Jedis, the rebirth of Frankenstein and a new age of Good Dinosaurs. These movies will take audiences to a Galaxy Far, Far Away, on a voyage to Mars and to the summit of the world’s highest mountain, Everest.
Here’s our list of the 2015 Fall movies that we can’t wait to see!
September
The Visit (Sept 11)
Writer/director/producer M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Signs, Unbreakable) and producer Jason Blum (Paranormal Activity, The Purge and Insidious series) welcome you to Universal Pictures’ The Visit. Shyamalan returns to his roots with the terrifying story of a brother and sister who are sent to their grandparents’ remote Pennsylvania farm for a weeklong trip.
The huge slate includes the return of the Jedis, the rebirth of Frankenstein and a new age of Good Dinosaurs. These movies will take audiences to a Galaxy Far, Far Away, on a voyage to Mars and to the summit of the world’s highest mountain, Everest.
Here’s our list of the 2015 Fall movies that we can’t wait to see!
September
The Visit (Sept 11)
Writer/director/producer M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Signs, Unbreakable) and producer Jason Blum (Paranormal Activity, The Purge and Insidious series) welcome you to Universal Pictures’ The Visit. Shyamalan returns to his roots with the terrifying story of a brother and sister who are sent to their grandparents’ remote Pennsylvania farm for a weeklong trip.
- 9/3/2015
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Bobby Fischer was a legend, a master at chess, and one of the finest players to every move pieces around the board. But he was also troubled, controversial, and became increasingly unstable as he earned more fame and attention. And both his genius and the less savory aspects of his character are explored in "Pawn Sacrifice," and today we have an exclusive clip from the drama. Tobey Maguire leads the movie as Fischer, with the story tracking the development of his talent, his rise through the ranks, and his famous showdown with rival Boris Spassky (Liev Schreiber). But helping the grandmaster along the way were big time lawyer Paul Marshall (Michael Stuhlbarg) and chess playing priest Father Bill Lombardy (Peter Sarsgaard). And in this scene, Paul urges Bill to join Fischer's team, not only because the young man respects him, but also because the man of the cloth actually once...
- 8/27/2015
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Sit down with Tobey Maguire, Liev Schreiber and director Edward Zwick as they explore the genius behind the madness of American chess prodigy Bobby Fischer in a new featurette from Bleecker Street’s Pawn Sacrifice.
In a gripping true story set during the height of the Cold War, American chess prodigy Bobby Fischer (Tobey Maguire) finds himself caught between two superpowers when he challenges the Soviet Empire. Also starring Liev Schreiber and Peter Sarsgaard, Pawn Sacrifice chronicles Fischer’s terrifying struggles with genius and madness, and the rise and fall of a kid from Brooklyn who captured the imagination of the world.
“The political moment of confrontation between East and West is such an interesting and rich moment dramatically,” says Zwick. “The idea of this kid from Brooklyn going up against the great Soviet Bear was irresistible on so many levels. Then, it also deals with the odd and sometimes...
In a gripping true story set during the height of the Cold War, American chess prodigy Bobby Fischer (Tobey Maguire) finds himself caught between two superpowers when he challenges the Soviet Empire. Also starring Liev Schreiber and Peter Sarsgaard, Pawn Sacrifice chronicles Fischer’s terrifying struggles with genius and madness, and the rise and fall of a kid from Brooklyn who captured the imagination of the world.
“The political moment of confrontation between East and West is such an interesting and rich moment dramatically,” says Zwick. “The idea of this kid from Brooklyn going up against the great Soviet Bear was irresistible on so many levels. Then, it also deals with the odd and sometimes...
- 8/21/2015
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
"What were you doing - were you spying on me?" A fascinating new featurette has debuted for the film Pawn Sacrifice, starring Tobey Maguire as chess prodigy Bobby Fischer. The film is an extensive look at Fischer's time battling Russian rival Boris Spassky in the 70's (read my Tiff review). The featurette looks at Fischer's various problems and paranoia that made him so unique, and made him a bit crazy. There's a great collection of scenes from this intersperse with the explanations of what's going on in his mind. In addition to Maguire, Pawn Sacrifice stars Liev Schreiber, Lily Rabe, Michael Stuhlbarg & Peter Sarsgaard. If you're a chess fan, or Bobby Fischer aficionado, or any of this makes you curious, I recommend this film. Here's the new making of featurette for Edward Zwick's Pawn Sacrifice, on YouTube (via Collider): American chess phenomenon Bobby Fischer (Maguire) squares off against...
- 8/20/2015
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
The fall festivals and various date shifts bring a new perspective to the coming awards season. We assess the Oscar chances for key films as dates for "Carol" and other films shift and new contenders enter the fray. Weinstein Co. boasts multiple contenders but will be dealing with the loss of capable COO David Glasser, a seven-year TWC veteran who as the Weinsteins' lieutenant was deeply involved in the complexities of booking theaters and marketing campaigns amid a challenging landscape. Most TWC execs don't last that long under such duress; Glasser will assist in the transition through November as the Weinsteins seek his replacement. September: "Pawn Sacrifice" (Bleecker Street, September 16), written by UK Oscar-nominee Steven Knight ("Dirty Pretty Things") and directed by Edward Zwick, stars Tobey Maguire in a comeback bid as American chess prodigy Bobby Fischer who duels for the World championship with Russian Boris Spassky (Liev Schreiber)....
- 7/31/2015
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Set during the 1972 World Chess Championship, in "Pawn Sacrifice" (Bleecker Street, September 18) Tobey Maguire plays brilliant but troubled Brooklyn chess maverick Bobby Fischer as he faces off against his level-headed Russian rival Boris Spassky (Liev Schreiber) in the most famous chess match ever. Fischer struggles to keep his head on straight, which drives his various handlers nuts, because he can't be counted on to even show up. Ed Zwick is a director who can handle intimate television ("Relativity," "Once and Again") and epic spectacle ("Courage Under Fire," "The Last Samurai," "Blood Diamond," "Glory"); this drama combines both. Zwick got a great performance out of Schreiber in "Defiance"; he is also strong here. Maguire has never been better; this could mark a comeback for him. The movie scored at Toronto 2014 and was acquired by Bleecker Street which has so far delivered modest art-house hits...
- 7/23/2015
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Read More: Tiff Buy: Bleecker Street Acquires Ed Zwick's 'Pawn Sacrifice' with Tobey Maguire and Liev Schrieber Written by Steven Knight ("Locke," "Eastern Promises") and directed by Ed Zwick ("Defiance," "Blood Diamond"), "Pawn Sacrifice" tells the story of real-life American chess champion Bobby Fischer: the youngest person to ever achieve the Grandmaster status and, at the height of his fame, a U.S. political symbol, as a result of his widely publicized match against Russian champion Boris Spassky. Tobey Maguire stars as Fischer and Liev Schreiber appears in the role of Spassky. Other notable members of the cast include Peter Sarsgaard and Lily Rabe. Based on the trailer, which you can watch above, Tobey Maguire appears to give a performance that we won't soon forget. Oscillating between genius and madness is not an easy feat, but Maguire seems to have a glint of both in his eye...
- 5/28/2015
- by Sarah Choi
- Indiewire
Bleecker Street jumped into the acquisitions fray for the first time in a splashy way at last fall’s Toronto Film Festival, sealing a seven-figure deal for Pawn Sacrifice. The Ed Zwick-directed drama that stars Tobey Maguire as iconic U.S. chess champion Bobby Fischer and Liev Schreiber as Russian champ Boris Spassky, whom Fischer challenged in a historic match that captured the world's attention in 1972 at the height of the Cold War. Now its Bleecker Street’s most…...
- 5/28/2015
- Deadline
Today we have the trailer for the upcoming real-life chess drama "Pawn Sacrifice," starring Tobey Maguire as Bobby Fischer, as well as Liev Schreiber, Peter Sarsgaard and Michael Stuhlbarg. Check it out below. Plot: Set during the height of the Cold War, American chess prodigy Bobby Fischer (Maguire) finds himself caught between two superpowers when he challenges the Soviet Empire. Schreiber plays his Russian arch rival Boris Spassky. The new movie is directed by Edward Zwick (Love and Other Drugs) and is set to hit select theaters on September 18th. Trailer:...
- 5/28/2015
- WorstPreviews.com
The Cold War's chess grudge match of the century comes to the big screen in a trailer for Tobey Maguire's new film Pawn Sacrifice.
Pawn Sacrifice dramatises the media circus surrounding chess prodigy Bobby Fischer's famous 1972 showdown with Russian grandmaster Boris Spassky (Liev Schreiber) in Reykjavík.
The forthcoming drama also examines Fischer's troubled personal life as he began to slip into anti-us fervour and anti-Semitism that would dominate his later years.
Starring with Maguire and Schreiber in Pawn Sacrifice are Lily Rabe and Peter Sarsgaard as Fischer's mother Joan and confidant William Lombardy respectively.
Pawn Sacrifice is the latest project from director Edward Zwick, who is known for The Last Samurai and Legends of the Fall.
Zwick has also garnered headlines in recent weeks amid talk of a reunion with his Last Samurai co-star Tom Cruise on the Jack Reacher sequel.
Pawn Sacrifice opens on September 18 in the Us.
Pawn Sacrifice dramatises the media circus surrounding chess prodigy Bobby Fischer's famous 1972 showdown with Russian grandmaster Boris Spassky (Liev Schreiber) in Reykjavík.
The forthcoming drama also examines Fischer's troubled personal life as he began to slip into anti-us fervour and anti-Semitism that would dominate his later years.
Starring with Maguire and Schreiber in Pawn Sacrifice are Lily Rabe and Peter Sarsgaard as Fischer's mother Joan and confidant William Lombardy respectively.
Pawn Sacrifice is the latest project from director Edward Zwick, who is known for The Last Samurai and Legends of the Fall.
Zwick has also garnered headlines in recent weeks amid talk of a reunion with his Last Samurai co-star Tom Cruise on the Jack Reacher sequel.
Pawn Sacrifice opens on September 18 in the Us.
- 5/27/2015
- Digital Spy
"We're at war... It's a war of perception: the poor kid from Brooklyn against the whole Soviet Empire." Bleecker Street has debuted a full-length trailer for Ed Zwick's Pawn Sacrifice, the long-awaited Bobby Fischer movie, starring Tobey Maguire as the chess champion who went crazy. This movie profiles Fischer during the lead up to his 1972 match against Russian rival Boris Spassky, played by Liev Schreiber, in Reykjavik. The cast includes Peter Sarsgaard, Michael Stuhlbarg & Lily Rabe. I saw the film at Tiff last year and wrote in my review: "I was fully engaged in Pawn Sacrifice from start to finish, fascinated by the politics and the sport, but also intrigued by Bobby Fischer and his peculiar mind. The who and why..." Here's the first official trailer for Ed Zwick's Pawn Sacrifice, found via YouTube: American chess phenomenon Bobby Fischer (Maguire) squares off against his Russian rival Boris Spassky...
- 5/27/2015
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
The first trailer for “Pawn Sacrifice,” starring Tobey Maguire as chess prodigy Bobby Fischer, was released by Bleecker Street on Wednesday. Based on a true story, the Cold War-set film chronicles Fischer’s face-off against Soviet chess master Boris Spassky, played by Liev Schreiber, in the 1972 World Chess Championship. The trailer captures Fischer’s transition from young hotshot to unhinged recluse buckling under the stress of international attention and the weight of his own genius. Also Read: Checkmate: Tobey Maguire's Chess Drama 'Pawn Sacrifice' Heads to Bleecker Street The film also features “American Horror Story’s” Lily Rabe and Peter Sarsgaard.
- 5/27/2015
- by Reid Nakamura
- The Wrap
For the longest time, chess has been the undisputed grandaddy of board games, mixing strategy and intrigue across an almost unfathomable amount of variations. No two game’s are alike, which is something prized prodigy Bobby Fischer knew all to well. His story, one rife with personal demons and political undertones, will serve as the crux for Ed Zwick’s upcoming drama Pawn Sacrifice.
With Tobey Maguire in the title role, Zwick’s feature will be set against the Cold War at a time when tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union threatened to boil over into all-out nuclear war. For Fischer, though, our troubled protagonist was primarily concerned about the 64 colored squares in front of him. After rising through the ranks to become the best chess player of a generation, Maguire’s character will go toe-to-toe with Russian champ Boris Spassky in an encounter comparable to a lavish heavyweight boxing match.
With Tobey Maguire in the title role, Zwick’s feature will be set against the Cold War at a time when tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union threatened to boil over into all-out nuclear war. For Fischer, though, our troubled protagonist was primarily concerned about the 64 colored squares in front of him. After rising through the ranks to become the best chess player of a generation, Maguire’s character will go toe-to-toe with Russian champ Boris Spassky in an encounter comparable to a lavish heavyweight boxing match.
- 5/27/2015
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
Bobby Fischer was a child chess prodigy, the youngest chess grandmaster at the time he was crowned, and eventually the representative of democracy in a politically-charged showdown with Soviet grandmaster Boris Spassky that took place in 1972. Bobby Fischer also totally lost it as he aged, becoming a Holocaust denier and anti-Semite, despite his own Jewish […]
The post ‘Pawn Sacrifice’ Trailer: Bobby Fischer Cracks Up appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘Pawn Sacrifice’ Trailer: Bobby Fischer Cracks Up appeared first on /Film.
- 5/27/2015
- by Russ Fischer
- Slash Film
Name all the chess films you can off the top of your head, go: There’s Boaz Yakim’s “Fresh,” “Brooklyn Castle,” Andrew Bujalski’s “Computer Chess” and easily the best of them all, “Searching For Bobby Fischer.” But few and far between are classic, and almost all pieces of chess narrative always circle back to Bobby Fischer, the American prodigy who captured the imagination of the world when he faced off against some of the greatest chess minds the Soviet Union has ever produced. Read More: Review: Kids Are King In Winning Chess Doc 'Brooklyn Castle' There have been documentaries on this subject, even past movies, but no one’s really made the definitive film about Fischer, his troubled mind and his famous matches in the Soviet Union. But Filmmaker Ed Zwick (“Glory,” “The Last Samurai”) has given it a shot, with Tobey Maguire in the lead...
- 5/27/2015
- by Edward Davis
- The Playlist
A couple of key new trailers today for some smaller films scheduled to hit over the Summer and Fall. First up there's "A Walk in the Woods," the Robert Redford and Nick Nolte-led film about two elderly guys hiking the Appalachian Trail, and then the first trailer for the Kevin Bacon-led indie film "Cop Car".
After that there's "Pawn Sacrifice" starring Tobey Maguire and Live Schrieber which deals with the famed match between American chess prodigy Bobby Fisher and Russian Boris Spassky, and finally the Jason Segel and Jesse Eisenberg-led film "The End of the Tour" about a journalist following a famed writer on a book tour.
After that there's "Pawn Sacrifice" starring Tobey Maguire and Live Schrieber which deals with the famed match between American chess prodigy Bobby Fisher and Russian Boris Spassky, and finally the Jason Segel and Jesse Eisenberg-led film "The End of the Tour" about a journalist following a famed writer on a book tour.
- 5/27/2015
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Director Edward Zwick might be best known for his war epics Glory and The Last Samurai, but he's scaled things down for his latest picture, Pawn Sacrifice. The film will follow chess prodigy Bobby Fischer (Tobey Maguire) as he prepares for a legendary match-up against Russian Boris Spassky (Liev Schreiber). A multitude of chess games pave the way for political agendas and madness in this new trailer. Now here's a film that's been lying dormant for a while now....
- 5/27/2015
- by Sean Wist
- JoBlo.com
Bobby Fischer, the brilliant and complicated chess master, is the subject of yet another movie. "Pawn Sacrifice" traces Fischer's rise from child prodigy to the world-famous player who took on Soviet master Boris Spassky.
A new trailer focuses on Fischer (Tobey Maguire) and Spassky's (Liev Schreiber) 1972 chess battle, which became much more than just a game - it was a Cold War showdown that pitted the United States against the Soviet Union. But Fischer struggled with the pressure, and was tormented by the very genius that made him one of the greatest chess players ever.
"Pawn Sacrifice" looks like a typical, well-made biopic in the vein of "The Imitation Game" or "A Beautiful Mind," and the performances seem top-notch.
"Pawn Sacrifice" opens September 18.
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A new trailer focuses on Fischer (Tobey Maguire) and Spassky's (Liev Schreiber) 1972 chess battle, which became much more than just a game - it was a Cold War showdown that pitted the United States against the Soviet Union. But Fischer struggled with the pressure, and was tormented by the very genius that made him one of the greatest chess players ever.
"Pawn Sacrifice" looks like a typical, well-made biopic in the vein of "The Imitation Game" or "A Beautiful Mind," and the performances seem top-notch.
"Pawn Sacrifice" opens September 18.
Want more stuff like this? Like us on Facebook. ...
- 5/27/2015
- by Kelly Woo
- Moviefone
It was called the Match of the Century.
Control the board with the new poster from Bleecker Street’s Pawn Sacrifice.
In a gripping true story set during the height of the Cold War, American chess prodigy Bobby Fischer (Tobey Maguire) finds himself caught between two superpowers when he challenges the Soviet Empire.
Also starring Liev Schreiber (Boris Spassky) and Peter Sarsgaard, Pawn Sacrifice chronicles Fischer’s terrifying struggles with genius and madness, and the rise and fall of a kid from Brooklyn who captured the imagination of the world with the greatest chess match ever played.
The film had its world premiere at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival.
Alex Billington of First Showing.net wrote, “There’s no better praise than to say I was fully engaged in Pawn Sacrifice from start to finish, fascinated by the politics and the sport, but also intrigued by Bobby Fischer and his peculiar mind.
Control the board with the new poster from Bleecker Street’s Pawn Sacrifice.
In a gripping true story set during the height of the Cold War, American chess prodigy Bobby Fischer (Tobey Maguire) finds himself caught between two superpowers when he challenges the Soviet Empire.
Also starring Liev Schreiber (Boris Spassky) and Peter Sarsgaard, Pawn Sacrifice chronicles Fischer’s terrifying struggles with genius and madness, and the rise and fall of a kid from Brooklyn who captured the imagination of the world with the greatest chess match ever played.
The film had its world premiere at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival.
Alex Billington of First Showing.net wrote, “There’s no better praise than to say I was fully engaged in Pawn Sacrifice from start to finish, fascinated by the politics and the sport, but also intrigued by Bobby Fischer and his peculiar mind.
- 5/21/2015
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
On the board he fought the Cold War. In his mind he fought his madness. Bleecker Street Media has finally debuted a poster for the film Pawn Sacrifice, the long-delayed chess movie about the legendary Bobby Fischer. At one point David Fincher was attached to direct, but it was eventually made with Ed Zwick at the helm, and premiered at Tiff last year (read my review here). Tobey Maguire stars as Bobby Fischer, and Liev Schreiber (in one hell of a performance) plays his Russian rival, Boris Spassky. I really, really like this poster - while it does have the lead actor front and center, it's unconventional in other ways, and I love the chess pattern design in the corner. Nice work, design agency. More posters as unique as this one, please. Here's the first official poster for Ed Zwick's Pawn Sacrifice, debuted by EW.com. The trailer is up next.
- 5/20/2015
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Edward Zwick's "Pawn Sacrifice," starring Tobey Maguire as chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer, will finally be released on September 18, 2015. Indie distributor Bleecker Street acquired the well-reviewed film after its Toronto 2014 premiere. This dramatic rendering of Fischer's 1972 face-off against Russian rival Boris Spassky co-stars Peter Sarsgaard, Liev Schreiber, and Michael Stuhlbarg. Produced by Zwick, Maguire and Gail Katz, "Pawn Sacrifice" was written by celebrated "Locke" scribe and "Peaky Blinders" creator Steven Knight. Meanwhile, Bleecker will release its hot Sundance pickup "I'll See You in My Dreams," starring Blythe Danner and Sam Elliott as 70ish leads, on May 15, 2015. Co-starring Malin Akerman, June Squibb, Rhea Perlman and Mary Kay Place, the winter-years drama follows Danner, who finally gets to play the lead, as a lonely widow who rediscovers her lust for life. The film, which had a standing ovation in Park...
- 2/4/2015
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Thompson on Hollywood
Antwerp musician Tom Barman, founding member of cult rock band dEUS, is setting aside time to devote to his film work and has three film projects at early stages.
Barman is currently writing the screenplay for The Alcoholics. This will be his first feature as a director since his Antwerp-based debut feature Any Way The Wind Blows in 2003.
The film is being made through Savage Film. Barman hopes to shoot it next summer.
“The funny thing is that there is very little drinking in. Almost none apart from the first five minutes,” Barman said of Alcoholics. He is promising a film with “a very fast pace and a nervous energy”.
The Alcoholics will aim “to show the effects of addiction in an unambiguous way”.
The main character John Carrol (41) has had enough of being a janitor in a Miami nightclub. He takes a deal to act as a drugs mule to Spain but it goes horribly wrong and...
Barman is currently writing the screenplay for The Alcoholics. This will be his first feature as a director since his Antwerp-based debut feature Any Way The Wind Blows in 2003.
The film is being made through Savage Film. Barman hopes to shoot it next summer.
“The funny thing is that there is very little drinking in. Almost none apart from the first five minutes,” Barman said of Alcoholics. He is promising a film with “a very fast pace and a nervous energy”.
The Alcoholics will aim “to show the effects of addiction in an unambiguous way”.
The main character John Carrol (41) has had enough of being a janitor in a Miami nightclub. He takes a deal to act as a drugs mule to Spain but it goes horribly wrong and...
- 1/27/2015
- by geoffrey@macnab.demon.co.uk (Geoffrey Macnab)
- ScreenDaily
Elevation Pictures will distribute the Bleecker Street slate in Canada, the company heads announced on Tuesday (January 20).
The deal kicks off on March 20 with Danny Collins (pictured) starring Al Pacino as an ageing rocker. Annette Bening, Jennifer Garner, Bobby Cannavale and Christopher Plummer round out the key cast.
Edward Zwick’s Toronto 2014 selection Pawn Sacrifice starring Tobey Maguire and Liev Schreiber as chess rivals Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky will be the second title on the slate.
“I’ve always wanted to be in business with Laurie and Noah,” said Bleecker Street’s New York-based CEO Andrew Karpen of Elevation co-presidents Laurie May and Noah Segal.
“They know how to reach Canadian film-goers and we’re really proud to be partnering with them on our upcoming films.”
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Andrew Karpen and the incredible team at Bleecker Street,” said May and Segal. “We are excited about their initial slate and know that...
The deal kicks off on March 20 with Danny Collins (pictured) starring Al Pacino as an ageing rocker. Annette Bening, Jennifer Garner, Bobby Cannavale and Christopher Plummer round out the key cast.
Edward Zwick’s Toronto 2014 selection Pawn Sacrifice starring Tobey Maguire and Liev Schreiber as chess rivals Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky will be the second title on the slate.
“I’ve always wanted to be in business with Laurie and Noah,” said Bleecker Street’s New York-based CEO Andrew Karpen of Elevation co-presidents Laurie May and Noah Segal.
“They know how to reach Canadian film-goers and we’re really proud to be partnering with them on our upcoming films.”
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Andrew Karpen and the incredible team at Bleecker Street,” said May and Segal. “We are excited about their initial slate and know that...
- 1/20/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Knight’s also the creator of Netflix Brit import "Peaky Blinders," a seedily atmospheric turn-of-the-century look at gangster life. Read IndieWire’s review of the Peaky Blinders series here.) Charismatic tar Cillian Murphy used to be able to walk around in New York unrecognized but can’t do it anymore. One obsessed fan is Snoop Dog, who Knight recently took out in London. "He told me how he related to his experience with gang culture," he says. "It’s been one of those things that’s gone off like a rocket. He says it’s going down so well with black people that they are getting into the way of dressing. The same thing happened here on the East End, people dressed like Peaky, wearing caps."
Knight wrote Bleecker Street Media’s upcoming Ed Zwick chess thriller "Pawn Sacrifice," starring Tobey Maguire as Bobby Fischer and Liev Schreiber as Boris Spassky,...
Knight wrote Bleecker Street Media’s upcoming Ed Zwick chess thriller "Pawn Sacrifice," starring Tobey Maguire as Bobby Fischer and Liev Schreiber as Boris Spassky,...
- 1/17/2015
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Knight's also the creator of Netflix Brit import "Peaky Blinders," a seedily atmospheric turn-of-the-century look at gangster life. (Our review here.) Charismatic tar Cillian Murphy used to be able to walk around in New York unrecognized but can't do it anymore. One obsessed fan is Snoop Dog, who Knight recently took out in London. "He told me how he related to his experience with gang culture," he says. "It's been one of those things that's gone off like a rocket. He says it's going down so well with black people that they are getting into the way of dressing. The same thing happened here on the East End, people dressed like Peaky, wearing caps." Knight wrote Bleecker Street Media's upcoming Ed Zwick chess thriller "Pawn Sacrifice," starring Tobey Maguire as Bobby Fischer and Liev Schreiber as Boris Spassky, which played well at Toronto. He's writing the treatment for the sequel...
- 1/17/2015
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
By Anjelica Oswald
Managing Editor
Though he may sound unfamiliar to folks at home, Bradford Young is one of the names to emerge during recent Oscar discussions for his cinematographic work on two films this year: J.C. Chandor’s A Most Violent Year and Ava DuVernay‘s Selma. Both films premiered at AFI Fest.
The 37-year-old director of photography was first recognized for his work at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival for Dee Rees’ Pariah (2011), which took home the excellence in cinematography award. He won the award a second time in 2013 for David Lowery’s Ain’t Them Bodies Saints and Andrew Dosunmu’s Mother of George (2013). He most recently received a Spirit Award nomination for Selma, which was also nominated for best picture and director, and he may very well land his first Oscar nomination this year.
Young previously worked with DuVernay on Middle of Nowhere (2012), which put DuVernay on the map.
Managing Editor
Though he may sound unfamiliar to folks at home, Bradford Young is one of the names to emerge during recent Oscar discussions for his cinematographic work on two films this year: J.C. Chandor’s A Most Violent Year and Ava DuVernay‘s Selma. Both films premiered at AFI Fest.
The 37-year-old director of photography was first recognized for his work at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival for Dee Rees’ Pariah (2011), which took home the excellence in cinematography award. He won the award a second time in 2013 for David Lowery’s Ain’t Them Bodies Saints and Andrew Dosunmu’s Mother of George (2013). He most recently received a Spirit Award nomination for Selma, which was also nominated for best picture and director, and he may very well land his first Oscar nomination this year.
Young previously worked with DuVernay on Middle of Nowhere (2012), which put DuVernay on the map.
- 12/18/2014
- by Anjelica Oswald
- Scott Feinberg
As the final acquisition deals roll in on Toronto’s 2014 film festival movies, a couple of overriding themes emerged that bode well for the appetite for indie fare and have sellers smacking their lips for Afm, Sundance, Berlin and beyond. In a fest where Harvey Weinstein left his checkbook home and didn’t make a single splashy deal, I have never seen so many new players make statement buys at a festival than happened in Toronto.
The other intriguing development came on the fest’s biggest deal, when Paramount Pictures swooped into the auction of the Chris Rock-directed comedy Top Five, and blew buyers out of the water by paying $12.5 million for worldwide rights. It was the second straight fest where Paramount did this, after the studio made a precedent-setting pre-buy Cannes deal for the Denis Villeneuve-directed Amy Adams sci-fi film Story Of Your Life. Some established indie...
The other intriguing development came on the fest’s biggest deal, when Paramount Pictures swooped into the auction of the Chris Rock-directed comedy Top Five, and blew buyers out of the water by paying $12.5 million for worldwide rights. It was the second straight fest where Paramount did this, after the studio made a precedent-setting pre-buy Cannes deal for the Denis Villeneuve-directed Amy Adams sci-fi film Story Of Your Life. Some established indie...
- 9/21/2014
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline
Toronto — It’s quite remarkable that up until now there has never been a biopic on the life of Bobby Fischer, arguably the greatest chess player of the 20th Century. Yes, his name was used in the acclaimed 1993 film “Searching for Bobby Fischer,” but that referenced his potential successor. Fisher’s life and his greatest moment, a dramatic match against his Russian counterpart, are finally depicted in the new drama “Pawn Sacrifice,” which screened at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival. Fisher’s genius as a chess player first manifested at the age of 12 and by 13 he had become the youngest winner of the U.S. Junior Chess Championships. He enjoyed a spectacular rise as a master chess player and by 1957 he won the first of eight U.S. Championships (a competition he never lost). The world stage, on the other hand, was different. Rising to prominence at the height of the Cold War,...
- 9/12/2014
- by Gregory Ellwood
- Hitfix
In advance of its world premiere tonight in Toronto, Pawn Sacrifice, Ed Zwick’s movie about erratic chess genius Bobby Fischer and his 1972 matchup with Soviet champion Boris Spassky, was picked up by Bleecker Street for a low seven figures price. Tobey Maguire, who stars as Fischer, worked for a decade to get the story on film, and Steven Knight, who recently wrote and directed the Tom Hardy drive-and-talk drama, Locke, wrote the script.
Fischer was a child prodigy who was also combustable, paranoid, rude, and antagonistic. He raged against Jews and Communists, and accused the Soviet and the international chess cabal,...
Fischer was a child prodigy who was also combustable, paranoid, rude, and antagonistic. He raged against Jews and Communists, and accused the Soviet and the international chess cabal,...
- 9/11/2014
- by Jeff Labrecque
- EW - Inside Movies
Andrew Karpen's Bleecker Street has made its first move at the Toronto International Film Festival, picking up Ed Zwick's chess drama “Pawn Sacrifice,” which stars Tobey Maguire as Bobby Fischer and Liev Schreiber as his rival, Boris Spassky. An individual with knowledge of the deal told TheWrap that Bleecker Street and others buyers were given an early look at the film on Sept. 5, since it doesn't officially debut until Thursday, Sept. 11. Also read: Tobey Maguire on Fighting to Play Chess Champion Bobby Fischer in ‘Pawn Sacrifice’ (Video) Steven Knight wrote the script, which chronicles 1972's Match of the Century,...
- 9/11/2014
- by Jeff Sneider
- The Wrap
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