SYNOPSIS

This is the remarkable and improbable true story of I.S. 318 in Brooklyn. The school, where 65% of students live below the federal poverty level, has the highest ranked junior high chess team in the nation. The heart of the film is the engaging young students who populate the team: Rochelle, who has the goal of becoming the first female African-American chess master; Pobo, the team’s charismatic leader; Justus, an entering student who must manage the high expectations that come with achieving master status at an early age; Alexis, who feels the pressure of his immigrant parents’ desire for him to realize the American dream; Patrick, who uses chess to help overcome his ADHD; and James, the young rapping maestro and budding chess talent; among several others.

PREVIEW NOTES

• Producers Distribution Agency, the distribution initiative created by Cinetic Media’s John Sloss and Bart Walker, that they partnered on the upcoming theatrical release. - 2012-07-19

FACT

This made its world premiere at SXSW in April, where it won the Audience Award for Documentary Feature.