Pawns
Development

1965. The Cold War is at its peak. Chess is the most popular game in the world. It is also a metaphor of the world as we know it. Chess masters are not the only ones playing out complex gambits — so are the secret services…

The protagonist, a young Soviet chess player, who knows nothing of the world outside his chesscker board, catches the eye of the KGB and becomes involved in an international espionage operation.

When he is partnered with an ambitious young spy, the fight for world domination shifts from the chess board to real life… But neither of the two realize that they are mere pawns in a game of the two superpowers.

Created by: Michael and Lily Idov
Producers: Artem Vasilyev, Philipp Kreuzer, Jörg Schulze, Katja Kuhlmann, Aija Berzina

Pawns was one of ten projects selected for the Co-Pro Series at Berlinale Co-production Market and the first one from Russia.

Format: 6 × 60 min episodes

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