Synopsis & Film Details

The Class (Entre Les Murs)

 

The French drama Entre les Murs (The Class) won the Golden Palm Award for director Laurent Cantet at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival. The film, based on the novel of the same name, is the semi-autobiographical story of François and his fellow teachers, who prepare for a new year at a junior high school in a tough Paris neighborhood. Armed with the best intentions, they brace themselves to not let discouragement stop them from trying to give the best education to their multiracial students. But cultures and attitudes often clash in the classroom, a microcosm of contemporary France. As amusing and inspiring as the teenaged students can be, their difficult behavior can still jeopardize any teacher’s enthusiasm for the low-paying job. François insists on an atmosphere of respect and diligence. Neither stuffy nor severe, his extravagant frankness often takes the students by surprise. But his classroom ethics are put to the test when his students begin to openly challenge his methods. In French, with English subtitles.
Screening Sponsor: L’Alliance Française de Fresno

Directed by Laurent Cantet
France, 2008, 35mm
2 hrs 8 min, Rated PG-13
http://www.sonyclassics.com/theclass/

Part of the 5th Fresno Film Festival (2009).