Directed by: Laurent Cantet
Staring: Esmeralda Ouertani, Franck Keita, Francois Begaudeau and Laura Baquela
Winner of the Palme d’Or at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, the film is an absorbing journey into a multicultural high school in Paris over the course of a school year. It’s based on the autobiographical novel by former teacher François Bégaudeau, who plays a fictional version of himself in the film.
It’s the usual story of an idealistic teacher reaching out to troubled students, but the mix of non-professional teenagers, actual teachers and parents and superb directing by Laurent Cantet lift the film far from expectations. It doesn’t take sides, and it doesn’t have a hidden agenda, resulting in a fictional drama that has the spirit and energy of a documentary. The Class shows us a microcosm of society, but never tries to fob us off with easy answers.