Al Jazeera | The Missing Piece

Maksym is a 9-year-old Ukrainian chess prodigy who dreams of being a grandmaster by age 12. Today, he lives as a refugee with his mother in Yorkshire while competing in tournaments across the country. But his family’s financial situation is making these trips, and life in the UK, increasingly uncertain. This short documentary captures a weekend in the life of Maksym and his mother, Iryna.

The accompanying article for Al Jazeera can be found here.

Nominated at the 2024 One World Media Awards

Commissioned by Al Jazeera Close Up
Exec Produced by Tierney Bonini
Produced by Happenstance Films
Directed by Kateryna Pavlyuk
Cinematography by Julia Alcamo
Edited by Miguel Pinto