Title from cover art. Oliver Masucci, Albrecht Schuch, Brigit Minichmayr, Samuel Finzi. Originally released as a motion picture in 2021. Aspect ratio 2.39:1 widescreen. Special features: Introductory essay by writer and curator Larry list ; Bonus short film Der Tunnel, directed by Christoph Daniel and Marc Schmidheiny (10 min.), German with English subtitles.
Summary:
Vienna, 1938: Austria is occupied by the Nazis. Dr. Josef Bartok is preparing to flee to America with his wife Anna when he is arrested by the Gestapo. As a former notary to the deposed Austrian aristocracy, he is told to help the local Gestapo leader gain access to their private bank accounts to fund the Nazi regime. Refusing to cooperate, Bartok is locked in solitary confinement. Just as his mind is beginning to crack, Bartok happens upon a book of famous chess games. To withstand the torture of isolation, Bartok disappears into the world of chess, maintaining his sanity only by memorizing every move. As the action flashes forward to a transatlantic crossing on which he is a passenger, it seems as though Bartok has finally found freedom. But recounting his story to his fellow travelers, it's clear that his encounters with both the Gestapo and the royal game itself have not stopped haunting him.
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