Bianca Mitchell-Avila, then 16, convinced Keanu Reeves to executive produce her documentary 'Madwoman’s Game' after emailing his manager in 2021. The film, which follows women in the male-dominated world of chess, premieres at the Miami Film Festival on April 16. Reeves served as a mentor during its development, though he does not appear in the final cut.
At 16 years old in 2021, New Mexico-based Bianca Mitchell-Avila emailed Keanu Reeves' manager, Meredith Wechter, proposing an epic chess battle for her documentary project. Reeves responded the next day, praising the ambition in her note. 'I was struck by the tone, by the ambition, by the vision of it [in] early days,' Reeves told Variety exclusively. The two connected via Zoom, confirming his interest in supporting the film, now titled 'Madwoman’s Game.' Directed by Zach Zamboni and executive produced by Reeves, Carla Berkowitz, UltraBoom Media and Sugar23, the documentary highlights Mitchell-Avila's journey as a competitive chess player and spotlights women in chess. It began as a student project inspired by her experiences, after working as a production assistant on the TV show 'The Graceful Path' and interning with the Ice Wolves hockey team. Though the planned chess match with Reeves was scrapped over six years of development, he championed the vision and offered mentorship. 'He was just supportive. He was just always there,' Mitchell-Avila said. Reeves, who played chess briefly in 11th grade, described his role as providing value to help get the film made. The project premieres April 16 at the Miami Film Festival. Mitchell-Avila and Reeves expressed interest in an in-person chess rematch someday.