An empty chess board is a point of contemplation in this Greek short film. A knight, alone on a chess board, is tired of being in the same place: he manages to tip himself onto the floor and finds a whole new experience with other toys. When he eventually makes his way back to the chess board, with the help of his new friends, he decides to challenge his preconceived idea of who he is and what he, as a knight on a chess board, should do. This friendly film uses the idea of a chess board to present a narrative of friendship, cooperation, and inclusion. The consistent emphasis on the thoughts and feelings of the knight, depicted through his expressive face, encourages the attentive viewer to contemplate the need for agency and belonging to acquire a sense of identity in the navigation of one’s environment. The role of chess as an important piece of international cultural history adds a theme of shared inheritance, allowing viewers aged 8-11 years old to consider whether the meaning of the film would change were we not familiar with the concept of the game of chess, and the limited movement in which the knight is framed.
