Queen of Katwe (2016)

Disney film. PG rated. Set and filmed on location in Africa by Indian born director Mira Nair who has lived in Uganda for decades. Based on a true story. Prestige picture, but lost money at the box office. Phiona Mutesi grew up in the Katwe slump of Kampala, Uganda's capitol city. As a 10 year old she happened upon a youth outreach program sponsored by a Christian ministry, they were teaching kids chess, turns out Phiona was a prodigy. Age 13 or 14 she attended her first world Chess Olympiad in Moscow, she was illiterate at the time. Her talent was able to serve as the catalyst to pull her family out of poverty. It's a beautiful story, nicely filmed, cast is mostly  a mix of first timers and established African actors, including Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o as Phino's mom. Entirely African cast, save a few extra's when Phiona is traveling and a Canadian chess player who has no lines. Such a refreshing film, such a different kind of story, shows places we seldom see in  film and in a context of hope we see even less. ***1/2