Zeitgeist Films has acquired US rights to Queen To Play starring Kevin Kline and Sandrine Bonnaire.

The New York-based distributor has tentatively set an early 2011 release date for the French-language drama set in Corsica.

Kline plays a retired American doctor living abroad who changes his maid’s life when he teaches her to play chess

First-timer Caroline Bottaro directed the film, which premiered at Tribeca. Dominique Besnehard and Michel Feller produced.

Zeitgeist co-president Emily Russo negotiated the deal with Anna Marsh of StudioCanal. “We are happy to give this lovely film with luminous performances from such an acclaimed cast a proper, albeit belated release in this market,” Russo said.