Chess Story

Name: Chess Story
Genre: History, Drama, War, Thriller
Released: 2021-09-23
Duration: 1 h 50 min
Rating: 6.9
Cast: Oliver Masucci, Albrecht Schuch, Birgit Minichmayr, Rolf Lassgård, Andreas Lust

2021·Movie·110 min·★ 6.9(157)

HistoryDramaWarThriller

“He turned resistance into a game.”

1938. While the Nazi troops march into Vienna, the lawyer Josef Bartok hastily tries to escape to the USA with his wife but is arrested by the Gestapo. Bartok remains steadfast and refuses to cooperate with the Gestapo that requires confidential information from him. Thrown into solitary confinement, Bartok is psychologically tormented for months and begins to weaken. However, when he steals an old book about chess it sets him on course to overcome the mental suffering inflicted upon him, until it becomes a dangerous obsession.

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Where to watch Chess Story in United States

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Click a service to open Chess Story there. Availability last verified on June 21, 2026.

Where is Chess Story streaming around the world?

Country	Streaming on	Rent / Buy
United States	Film Movement Plus, Film Movement Plus Amazon Channel, Kanopy, Hoopla	Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies
Canada	Film Movement Plus, Hoopla, Tele Quebec	Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Germany	WOW, Sky Go, Wow Fiction Amazon Channel	Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies
Spain	Filmin, rtve	—
Japan	—	Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, FOD

About Chess Story

Chess Story is a 2021 German-language history, drama and war film directed by Philipp Stölzl. The cast is led by Oliver Masucci, Albrecht Schuch, Birgit Minichmayr. It has a runtime of 1h 50m. Viewers rate it 6.9/10 across 200 ratings. In United States, it is currently streaming on Film Movement Plus, Film Movement Plus Amazon Channel, Kanopy.

Chess Story was produced by Walker & Worm Film, Dor Film, and BR and made in Austria and Germany. It was released on September 23, 2021.

Director: Philipp Stölzl
Writers: Eldar Grigorian
Release date: September 23, 2021
Original language: German
Status: Released
Country: Austria, Germany
Production: Walker & Worm Film, Dor Film, BR

#chess#world war ii#playing chess

Chess Story cast & crew

Chess Story was directed by Philipp Stölzl and written by Eldar Grigorian.

The cast features Oliver Masucci as Dr. Josef Bartok, Albrecht Schuch as Franz-Josef Böhm, Birgit Minichmayr as Anna Bartok, Rolf Lassgård as Owen McConnor, Andreas Lust as Johann Prantl, and Samuel Finzi as Alfred Koller.

Behind the camera, the score was composed by Ingo Ludwig Frenzel, cinematography is by Thomas W. Kiennast, and it was produced by Tobias Walker and Philipp Worm.

Is Chess Story worth watching?

Chess Story holds an audience score of 6.9/10 from 157 ratings, a solidly received history films.

At 1h 50m, it's a standard feature-length watch.

If you enjoy history, drama, and war, Chess Story is worth a place on your watchlist.

How and where to watch Chess Story

In United States, you can stream Chess Story on Film Movement Plus, Film Movement Plus Amazon Channel, Kanopy, and Hoopla, or rent and buy it on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, and YouTube. Click any service above to open it directly.

Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.