Chess Story
6.8
“He turned resistance into a game.”
1938. While the Nazi troops march into Vienna, the lawyer Josef Bartok hastily tries to escape to the USA with his wife but is arrested by the Gestapo. Bartok remains steadfast and refuses to cooperate with the Gestapo that requires confidential information from him. Thrown into solitary confinement, Bartok is psychologically tormented for months and begins to weaken. However, when he steals an old book about chess it sets him on course to overcome the mental suffering inflicted upon him, until it becomes a dangerous obsession.
Your rating
Your review
Cast
32 people
Oliver Masucci
Dr. Josef Bartok
Known for
Dark
Look Who's Back
Albrecht Schuch
Franz-Josef Böhm
Known for
All Quiet on the Western Front
Hijack
Birgit Minichmayr
Anna Bartok
Known for
Downfall
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
Rolf Lassgård
Owen McConnor
Known for
A Man Called Ove
Downsizing
Andreas Lust
Johann Prantl
Known for
Pagan Peak
The Robber
Samuel Finzi
Alfred Koller
Known for
Generation War
Unfamiliar
Lukas Miko
Gustav Sailer
Known for
Freud
Pagan Peak
Joel Basman
Barkeeper Willem
Known for
Generation War
Land of Mine
Clemens Berndorff
Dr. Swoboda
Also in
Old Money
Ovulation with Daddy
Johannes Zeiler
Dr. Fink
Known for
Faust
Kitz
Maresi Riegner
Maid Klara
Known for
Egon Schiele: Death and the Maiden
Sisi & I
Luisa-Céline Gaffron
Fridl
Known for
8 Days
Persian Lessons
Philipp Stölzl Director · Eldar Grigorian Writer Stefan Zweig Author
Worldwide gross $51K · United States release January 13, 2023 · Produced in Austria, Germany
Box office
Worldwide gross
$51,318
Production
Walker & Worm Film
Production
Dor Film
Production
BR
Production
ORF
Production
StudioCanal
Production
Studio Babelsberg
Production
ARD
Production
ARD Degeto
Production
Austria · Germany
Produced in
Languages
Original title
Schachnovelle
Original language
German
Spoken on screen
German
Release dates
Germany · September 23, 2021
Theatrical
United States · January 13, 2023
Limited theatrical
Australia
October 21, 2021
Austria
September 24, 2021 · Theatrical
July 3, 2023 · TV · ORF 1
Denmark
October 14, 2021 · Theatrical
France
June 16, 2022 · Digital · MyCanal
Germany
March 10, 2022 · Physical · DVD & BD
July 3, 2023 · TV · Das Erste
Russia
October 14, 2021 · Theatrical
Spain
February 11, 2022 · Theatrical · Alfa Pictures
Sweden
September 23, 2021 · Theatrical
Taiwan
March 10, 2023 · Theatrical
Türkiye
December 10, 2021
Ukraine
October 9, 2021 · Premiere · New German Cinema Festival
December 2, 2021 · Theatrical
More from Philipp Stölzl
Other films they directed, best known first.
If you liked Chess Story
Picks that share its genres, themes, cast and crew.
Some details come from TheTVDB.