THE CLASS by Laurent Cantet (2008) is the most authentic “teacher film” I’ve ever seen. I recommend it to anyone who wishes to affect true change in public schools.The film follows a year-in-the-life of a language arts teacher in a Parisian middle school. He is a good teacher and good man, and yet...this is no DEAD POETS SOCIETY, MR. HOLLAND’S OPUS, or FREEDOM WRITERS. Inspiration doesn’t really take with these students. “Learning” rarely happens.
Director Cantet’s unique approach to working with François Bégaudeau (who plays “a version of himself” in the film) and a class full of non-actors is so effective, their performances become invisible.
The film earns its Golden Palm award (Cannes) and Best Foreign Language Film Oscar nomination. It is expertly done...raising many questions and offering no clear answers.
And yet...in this one teacher’s struggle, we are moved. And hopeful.
The generational divide in public education is interesting (when it is not soul-crushing). At the PDX schools, there seems to be a fairly pronounced chasm between young and daring educators like the subject of THE CLASS and the older generation of principals and education bureaucrats who seem to regard the work as a factory job with tenure benefits. You should also see Cantet's TIME OUT. Sad and beautiful.
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