Brooklyn Castle — Cool Black Review

	BROOKLYN CASTLE

Directed by Katie Dellamaggiore

Produced by Katie Dellamaggiore, Nelson Dellamaggiore and Brian Schulz

Cinematography by Brian Schulz

Editing by Nelson Dellamaggiore

Release date(s): March 11, 2012 (South by Southwest Film Festival), October 19, 2012 (United States)

Synopsis

Amidst financial crises and unprecedented public school budget cuts, Brooklyn

Castle takes an intimate look at the challenges and triumphs facing members of a junior high school's champion chess team. – IMDb

Cool Black Review

No "Rocky" type story here. While there were triumphs there sure were lows as

this team strived to win and indeed "amidst financial crises".

The film captures the years of the chess players RIGHT when the financial crisis hit the United States (2008-2010). So between trying to you know win, they also had to get around the country to major chess tournaments. The filmmakers do a great job at explaining the whole chess tournament system and how each player is ranked.

Focusing on a core set of players and following them over their time at I.S. (Intermediate or "middle” or “junior high” School) and you witness their highs, lows and some of their lives at home without dwelling too much on one or the other. A perfect balance.

Brooklyn Castle is a really wonderful documentary that not only can explain competition chess to someone who had NO IDEA what it’s all about, like me, but also manages to highlight some really great kids and the most important things in their lives—chess!