Shattered Games

North American Premiere

Set against the glittering backdrop of Warsaw in 1929, Shattered Games tells the true story of Poland’s legendary national chess team during the golden age of the game. As they prepare for the 1930 World Chess Championship in Hamburg, the team, led by the charismatic Dawid Przepiórka, stands on the brink of greatness. However, looming in the shadows is the growing threat of antisemitism and the encroaching specter of World War II.

At the heart of the story is Akiba Rubinstein, one of the greatest chess minds of his time, whose genius on the board is constrained only by his internal battle with a serious illness. As the Nazis begin their occupation of Poland, the fate of the team—many of whom are Jewish—hangs in the balance, their illustrious chess legacy threatened by the tide of history.

Filmed in the historic pre-war palaces of Poland, director Marek Bukowski masterfully recreates this pivotal moment in chess and world history. Shattered Games brings to life the strategic brilliance and personal trials of Poland’s "Golden Team," whose matches are still celebrated as some of the greatest ever played. Through stunning period detail and powerful storytelling, the film offers a profound look at how one team’s quest for victory was shattered by the forces of war and intolerance.