A powerful true story based on the life of Genesis Potini, a brilliant chess champion who, despite struggles with mental illness, found the courage to lead a group of underprivileged children to the National Chess Championships and purpose in teaching them the love of the game.
Who's Involved:
Release Date:
Friday, April 1, 2016 Limited
language throughout, and drug use
Plot: What's the story about?
The film features Cliff Curtis as Genesis “Gen” Potini, a brilliant but troubled New Zealand chess champion who finds purpose by teaching underprivileged children about the rules of chess and life.
After years in and out of mental institutions, Genesis is released into the care of his estranged brother Ariki (Wayne Hapi) and thrust into his volatile gang lifestyle. Seeking to escape this toxic environment, Genesis finds solace by volunteering at the Eastern Knights chess club and sharing his gift with the disadvantaged Maori children of his community. Charismatic and impassioned, Gen encourages the group to train for the upcoming National Chess Championships. But his teaching puts him at odds with his brother when Ariki’s son Mana (James Rolleston) shows an interest in the game – chess is considered a distraction from the teen’s imminent initiation into his father’s gang. Genesis’s conflict with his brother and the violent gang, along with his ongoing battle with illness, threaten to ruin the hopeful progress Gen has made for himself and the young Eastern Knights. But Genesis’s positivity leads him to always search for light, even when the world seems at its darkest.
official plot version from broadgreen.com
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Who stars in The Dark Horse: Cast List
Avatar 3, Avatar: The Way of Water
Uproar, The Dead Lands
Who's making The Dark Horse: Crew List
A look at the The Dark Horse behind-the-scenes crew and production team. The film's director James Napier Robertson last directed Joika. The film's writer James Napier Robertson last wrote Joika.
Company
Production Companies
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Production: What we know about The Dark Horse?
Filming Timeline
- 2015 - August: The film was set to Completed status.
The Dark Horse Release Date: When was the film released?
The Dark Horse was a Limited release in 2016 on Friday, April 1, 2016. There were 10 other movies released on the same date, including Pandemic, Sold and Miles Ahead.
As a Limited release, The Dark Horse will only be shown in select movie theaters across major markets. Please check Fandango and Atom Tickets to see if the film is playing in your area.
The Dark Horse DVD & Blu-ray Release Date: When was the film released?
The Dark Horse was released on DVD & Blu-ray on Tuesday, July 12, 2016 .