WATCH: Barbaric Genius trailer

Barbaric Genius, the story of brutal virtuoso John Healy, goes on release exclusively in Dublin's IFI on May 25.

Directed by Paul Duane, this film offers a fascinating look at the volatile chess champion an author. Brought up in an abusive London-Irish family, Healy was the dishonourably discharged army boxer who found a home among vagrant alcoholics before discovering an aptitude for chess in jail. In fact, he went on to win ten major British tournaments, before writing his memoir in 1988.

Read the full fascinting feature in the new issue of Hot Press (The Riptide Movement cover), out now. Watch the film's trailer below.