Magnus

"Child. Genius. Champion."

2016 1h 16m NO

👍

6.8

SOLID

★6.8TMDB · 62

Documentary

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

From a young age Magnus Carlsen had aspirations of becoming a champion chess player. While many players seek out an intensely rigid environment to hone their skills, Magnus’ brilliance shines brightest when surrounded by his loving and supportive family. Through an extensive amount of archival footage and home movies, director Benjamin Ree reveals this young man’s unusual and rapid trajectory to the pinnacle of the chess world. This film allows the audience to not only peek inside this isolated community but also witness the maturation of a modern genius.

“Child. Genius. Champion.”

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Cast

Magnus Carlsen
Himself
Viswanathan Anand
Himself
Henrik Carlsen
Himself
Espen Agdestein
Himself
Ellen Carlsen
Herself
Jon-Ludvig Hammer
Himself

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Benjamin Ree
Writers: Benjamin Ree, Linn-Jeanethe Kyed
Languages: German, English, Norwegian
Countries: Norway

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 76-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 10 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: German, English, Norwegian.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Benjamin Ree, shot by Magnus Flåto. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Uno Helmersson. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Perry Eriksen shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Magnus Carlsen and Viswanathan Anand and Henrik Carlsen carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Benjamin Ree directs. Magnus Flåto behind the camera. Uno Helmersson scores. Perry Eriksen cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Norway. Dialogue in German, English, Norwegian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 76-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
2Released 10 years ago.
3Dialogue crosses 3 languages: German, English, Norwegian.
4Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
5Directed by Benjamin Ree, shot by Magnus Flåto. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Uno Helmersson. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Perry Eriksen shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Magnus Carlsen and Viswanathan Anand and Henrik Carlsen carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "Child. Genius. Champion.".
10IMDB entry: tt5471480 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Only 62 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.