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The Chess Player

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With an impressive 42 Goya Award nominations and adapted from Julio Castedo’s novel, The Chess Player follows chess champion Diego Padilla as he falls in love with French journalist Marianne Latour in 1934 Spain. Two years later, the couple decides to relocate to France with their young daughter, to avoid the Spanish Civil War. Once there, Padilla is falsely accused of espionage by the Nazis and imprisoned in a SS prison.

Behind bars, Diego grapples with the challenges of a hostile environment, finding solace in the shared passion for chess with Colonel Maier, the enigmatic and unpredictable commanding officer. Maier, a figure of hieratic authority, introduces an element of hedonism to the prison setting, creating a backdrop of tension and intrigue as Diego strives to navigate the perilous circumstances surrounding him.