Brooklyn Castle
Reviewed by Cool Cleveland Senior Correspondent Carol Drummond
I have a confession to make. I have seen the intriguing Cleveland International Film Festival posters and ads, heard each year the growing enthusiasm, support and attendance, but I had never gone. This year I finally decided to attend. I could only see one flick, so I chose very carefully. After pouring over the reviews and synopses to be sure the one I chose was one my daughter and I would most appreciate, I picked a winner.
Brooklyn Castle is a inspirational documentary by director/filmmaker Katie Dellamaggiore that felt more like a great movie with actors and plot twists. But it was a documentary, with real people dealing with difficult situations. This is how the idea for this film came about. Ms. Dellamaggiore read about something extraordinary happening at her neighborhood middle school. It turns out that Brooklyn Intermediary School 318 has brought back home 26 National Chess Titles since the late 1990s when it hired Ms. Elizabeth Vicary to teach chess and lead the team. The film follows five exceptional students from 6th to 8th grade as they excelled in chess and grew in years. Their experiences would be fodder enough for any good story, but the downturn in the economy has them and their teachers scrambling to overcome budget losses that surface when the recession hits, which under normal circumstances would decimate any school chess program, but I.S 318 serves families with over 60% living below the poverty line, so the cuts were that much deeper here.
Ms. Dellamaggiore’s keen sense of focus brought us right into the lives of these five young teens as they confronted the pressures of their age, chess competitions, budget cuts, gender expectations, learning disabilities, cultural and family rules and roles, classroom friendships and much more. The compelling footage was punctuated with informational graphics that demonstrated the students chess scores and other abstract concepts, so the audience could understand the complexities of their situations. A lively and humorous soundtrack was delightful and a great source of energy that kept the progression of the scenes moving along. This film is a stimulus for discussion about the value of educational funding and an example of triumph over adversity. Anyone involved in teaching adolescents, and especially after school and social programs, should see Brooklyn Castle.
Brooklyn Castle had so many viewers at CIFF that it was shown simultaneously in two theaters and a lively discussion followed the movie in a Film Forum that featured the director, as well as a local and a national chess group advocate, and a few select locals involved in neighborhood and after school enrichment programs for young people in Northeast Ohio. A testament to how well received Brooklyn Castle has been is the coveted Audience Appreciation Award it garnered from the regional film festival South by Southwest in Austin Texas.
The local community has been inspired too. On Monday, March 26th from noon to 5 p.m. by the fountain at Tower City there was a Public Chess Exhibition that was free and open to the public to participate.
What I learned is that next year, well before CIFF, I need to review the films and plan to spend the day at the Tower City. CIFF was run like a well oiled machine. I was impressed with how the throngs of people easily navigated the lines and signs to be in the right places at the right times. How scores of volunteers and staff knew what needed to be done and were there to answer any questions. Tower City is a great spot for all the commotion that Cleveland International Film Festival brings with it. The food court and public spaces for to-and-from foot traffic and overflow spots for the crowds to mingle and await the next show were well used.
Find out more about Brooklyn Castle here and find out more about Cleveland International Film Festival here.
Carol Drummond has been a professional designer for 25 years. Prior to starting her award-winning graphic design studio 15 years ago, Drummond Design, she graduated from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, worked at a graphic design studio, a video production company, and a consumer products company. She has been an art docent for Mayfield City Schools and currently serves on the COSE Arts Network Advisory Committee. http://www.DrummonDesign.com