Queen of Katwe is a 2016 American biographical sports drama film[4] directed by Mira Nair and written by William Wheeler.

[5] Starring David Oyelowo, Lupita Nyong'o, and Madina Nalwanga, the film depicts the life of Phiona Mutesi, a girl living in Katwe, a slum of Kampala, the capital of Uganda.

[8] Living in Katwe, a slum in Kampala, Uganda, is a constant struggle for 10-year-old Phiona Mutesi (Madina Nalwanga), her mother Nakku Harriet (Lupita Nyong'o) and younger members of her family.

The film then proceeds to trace the ups and downs of success at competitions and tournaments for Phiona and her fellow Pioneers.

Phiona leads the Uganda team at the Chess Olympiad in Russia, confident that she will become a Grandmaster, securing the necessary finances to lift her family out of poverty.

However, with the support of Coach Katende and the people of Katwe, she returns to chess, ultimately succeeding to the extent that she can purchase a home for her family.

[11] Tendo Nagenda, Walt Disney Studios' senior creative executive, developed the project into production.

[12] With executive approval from studio president Sean Bailey,[13] Nagenda went to visit Mira Nair at her Ugandan home to recruit her to direct a film about Mutesi.

"[14] Mira Nair met with Mutesi, her mother Harriet, and the chess group run by coach Robert Katende.

She invited screenwriter William Wheeler to come to Kampala to conduct interviews with the principal figures as a foundation for a screenplay.

[13] In January 2015, David Oyelowo and Lupita Nyong'o were cast as Robert Katende and Harriet Mutesi, respectively.

"[17][18] Oyelowo immediately accepted the role, seeing the film as a "subversive work", given the lack of diversity in contemporary American cinema.

[25] Most professional Ugandan actors settled for roles as extras, including Gladys Oyenbot who acted as Lupita's stand-in double.

[41] Queen of Katwe opened on September 23 as a limited release in the United States, with an estimated Friday total of $82,000 averaging $1,577 per screen across 52 selected theaters.

The website's critical consensus states: "Queen of Katwe is a feel-good movie of uncommon smarts and passion, and Lupita Nyong'o and David Oyelowo's outstanding performances help elevate the film past its cliches.