A rock is a real friend you can depend on in times of trouble.

Overview

In this documentary viewers get to know Sæmi Rock Palsson´s struggle for the liberation of Bobby from prison in Japan and how he managed to provide his friend Icelandic citizenship. The story of an unlikely friendship between the notorious chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer imprisoned in a Japanese jail and his Icelandic bodyguard Sæmi Rock Palsson who fought the wrath of the United States government to free his friend The phone rang in the middle of the night, waking Saemi up. “There is a collect call for you Sir; from Bobby Fischer. Will you accept it?” His friend, the former world champion of chess, the American hero, was in trouble. Bobby Fischer called “collect” from a public phone in prison in Japan. Sæmundur did not hesitate one moment – this man must be rescued. It does not matter if he has not met his friend for three decades and only heard his voice over phone just few times all this time. His friend was in trouble and Sæmi is a friend indeed.

1. Fridrik Gudmundsson

   Director