Chess grandmaster Nona Gaprindashivili (Nona Gaprindashivili) has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. film and television drama broadcasting platform Netflix, alleging that she made a statement about herself in the American drama “The Queen’s Gambit” There is a factual error.
The American drama “Abandoned Soldiers on the Rear Wing” is based on a 1983 novel and describes the growth process of a fictional female chess player Beth Harmon who eventually became a grand master of chess. In the play, Harmon grew up in an orphanage and eventually traveled to Moscow during the Cold War in the 1960s, defeating Russia’s best male chess player.
According to the entertainment media Hollywood Reporter, Gapridashvili filed a lawsuit against Netflix on September 16, 2021 for defamation, and demanded at least US$5 million in actual damages plus more punitive damages.
All this originated in the last episode of the show. In the play, a chess commentator explained the victory of the heroine Harmon said: “The only thing that is unusual about her is her gender. Although this is not unique in the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union has Nona Gapri Dashvili, but she is a women’s world champion and has never faced a male (chess player).”
Gapri Dashvili said the comment damaged her reputation. The lawsuit stated: “The description of Gapri Dashvili’never faced a male (chess player)’ is obviously a village affairs, and it is a serious gender discrimination and derogation.”
Gapri Dashvili said that as of 1968, the year this episode took place, she had competed with at least 59 male chess players, including 10 grand masters. The complaint stated: “Netflix blatantly and deliberately lied to Gapri Dashvili’s achievements, the purpose of which was to enhance the’dramatic effect’ and allow its fictitious protagonist to succeed in doing what Gapri Dashvili included. Things that no other women have done.”
A Netflix spokesperson responded to the lawsuit, stating: “Netflix only has the highest respect for Ms. Gapri Dashvili and her glorious career, but we believe that these claims have no basis and will do our best. Defend this case.”
In addition to compensation of more than US$5 million, Gapridashvili also asked the court to produce an order requiring Netflix to delete her lines that she had never played against a male chess player.
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