Algorithms, a wonderful chess documentary, highly recommended

Following our successful Kickstarter campaign, I thought I would update you on ALGORITHMS, our documentary about blind chess players in India.

The response so far has been fantastic. Really, we have been blown away by how well the audience has taken to the film at film festivals around the world. This culminated in Algorithms winning the Audience Award at the RAI International Festival of Ethnographic Films which was held in Edinburgh last month!

http://raifilmfest.org.uk/film/festival/2013/festival/film-prizes

Whether it be in Edinburgh or at the World Premiere in the International Film Festival of India in Goa, or at the International Premiere at Sydney Film Festival, every post-screening Q&A, has been really great with engaged discussions about the issues raised in the film. Most viewers feel they have seen a world they never knew existed and are amazed at the characters in the film. The three youths, Darpan, Sai Krishna and Anant Nayak, and their mentor, Charudatta Jadhav, have emerged as real heroes!

Here are some reviews of ALGORITHMS that have come out.

02 June 2013:

Algorithms: Ian McDonald reminds us, four moves in we are all blind –

Sydney Film Festival Review

http://lisathatcher.wordpress.com/2013/06/02/algorithms-ian-mcdonald-reminds-us-four-moves-in-we-are-all-blind-sydney-film-festival-review/

06 June 2013

Panorama: Algorithms by Ian McDonald – Desistfilm

http://desistfilmblog.wordpress.com/2013/06/06/panorama-algorithms-by-ian-mcdonald-eng/

02 Jan 2013:

Ian McDonald’s “Algorithms”: An Exemplary Documentary – Dear Cinema

http://dearcinema.com/news/ian-mcdonalds-algorithms-an-exemplary-documentary/3816

And here are a couple of responses to the film by eminent filmmakers that we received following the screenings in Goa and Edinburgh respectively.

“I loved this film. It is all that a documentary should be. Unobtrusive and compassionate without being sentimental, sympathetic without being condescending”.

Shyam Benegal, Filmmaker from India.

“Algorithms is a splendid film that succeeds in the very difficult task of following a number of characters over several years in diverse locations. In tracking the fortunes of young blind chess players in India, it shows a deep respect for the individuals involved, the game of chess itself, and above all for the audience, never succumbing to the temptation to oversimplify or sensationalize its subject.”

Prof David MacDougall, Filmmaker and Anthropologist from Australia.

And Algorithms was featured on the FIDE website. FIDE have been very supportive of the film as you will see here:

http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/7190-algorithms.html.

Going forward, we are now looking forward to more screenings in different parts of the world. Geetha and I are getting ready to go to South Africa where Algorithms is screening in competition at the Durban International Film Festival in South Africa (on July 24 & 26).

http://www.durbanfilmfest.co.za/2013/documentary-films/algorithms

Algorithms has also been selected for the competition section of the International Ethnographic Film Festival in Belgrade in October, as also in competition at the prestigious Jean Rouch International Film festival in Paris in November. http://comitedufilmethnographique.com/

We are still waiting for a screening to be confirmed in the USA! We will keep you posted!

Thanks so much for all your support. Its really appreciated. I hope we can continue to rely on your support in letting as many people as possible know about the film, and about the incredibly talented young blind chess players of India..

Best wishes

Ian

Geetha J. – Producer
Ian McDonald – Director
Algorithms
Four Moves in, We Are All Blind
www.algorithmsthedocumentary.com