The Remarkable Life of Ibelin , 2024. Directed by Benjamin Ree. Featuring Mats Steen, Kelsey Ellison, Zoe Croft, Paul Wild, and Elena Pitsiaeli. SYNOPSIS: Mats Steen, a Norwegian gamer, died of a degenerative muscular disease at the age of 25. His parents mourned what they thought had been a lonely and isolated life, when they […]
2020 BFI London Film Festival Review – The Painter and the Thief
The Painter and the Thief, 2020. Directed by Benjamin Ree. SYNOPSIS: A Czech artist forms a surprising friendship with a Norwegian man who stole two of her paintings. For journalist-turned-documentary-filmmaker Benjamin Ree, the desire to make an art heist movie had been simmering away since the release of his acclaimed chess-champ doc Magnus in 2016. […]
Exclusive Interview: Director Benjamin Ree on Magnus, his documentary about the World Chess Champion
Norway’s Magnus Carlsen celebrated his 26th birthday this year by retaining his World Chess Champion title for the second successive time. Freda Cooper talked to Benjamin Ree, who directed the recent documentary about the man known as “the Mozart of chess.”… Magnus Carlsen recently retained his World Chess Champion title for the second time running. Have you […]
Movie Review – Magnus (2016)
Magnus, 2016. Directed by Benjamin Ree. SYNOPSIS: The life story of current World Chess Champion, Magnus Carlsen, from his early days as a child prodigy to becoming the most successful world number one at the age of just 25. By the time Magnus is released, this year’s World Chess Championships could be over bar the […]
Movie Review – Magnus (2016)
Magnus, 2016. Directed By Benjamin Ree SYNOPSIS: The life and times of Magnus Carlsen. How the “Mozart of chess” became World Champion at the age of 22. Magnus Carlsen is seated in front of ten Harvard Lawyers. He is facing the opposite direction from his opponents, and just for good measure, also blindfolded. The outcome […]
