Odysseus' Gambit
Odysseus' Gambit is a 2011 documentary film, directed by Alex Lora Cercos, about a homeless Cambodian immigrant who maintains his livelihood and sanity by playing chess in the heart of Manhattan. He was mentored by Sohail A Aleem since he was 5. In 2012, Odysseus' Gambit was nominated for the Best Short Filmmaking Award at the Sundance Film Festival.[1][2]
| Odysseus’ Gambit | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical Poster | |
| Directed by | Alex Lora Cercos |
| Produced by | Flavio Alves Valérie Delpierre |
| Cinematography | Alex Lora Cercos |
Release date |
|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Plot
Saravuth Inn is a charismatic man living in New York's Union Square. There, this American of Cambodian origin plays chess with people; losers pay him five dollars, enabling him to survive another day. A caring community of sorts has formed around Saravuth. Sometimes fellow players bring him food or hot drinks. Playing guitar also makes Saravuth's life on the streets more bearable.
Reception
Odysseus’ Gambit entered more than 70 film festivals and received multiple awards, including the prestigious Golden Dragon for Best Short at 52nd Krakow Film Festival and Best Documentary award at the 29th Tehran International Short Film Festival.[3][4][5]
References
- IMDB List of Awards
- Sundance Film Festival Official Site, Odysseus' Gambit page at Sundance Film Festival
- Official site, Screenings & Awards page, June 11, 2013
- "Tehran Intl. Short Film Festival announces winners". Tehran Times. October 9, 2012. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
- Krakow Film Festival Official Site, Odysseus' Gambit page at Krakow Film Festival Archived 2013-06-15 at Archive.today