Laurent Cantet’s Palme D’Or winner is a trailblazing piece of social realism. François Bégaudeau, who wrote a memoir in 2006 about his teaching experiences, effectively plays himself in this drama about an inner-city Parisian secondary school, and the efforts of a passionate teacher battling to keep his form class out of trouble. The French title Entre les Murs (“Between the Walls”) is literal: the entire film is set inside the school itself, keeping us intimately close to both the students’ learning and the clashing attitudes of authority figures.  

This screening will include an introduction from CLASSROOM CINEMA season curator Tom Saer.