The critical darling of last year’s Cannes Film Festival, The Class snuck in under the radar and screened on the last night of the competition, surprising many and deservedly taking home the illustrious Palme d’Or. Much like its festival performance, the film subtly creeps up on your emotions until you are left a frayed ball of nerves by its end.
Adapted from François Bégaudeau’s autobiographical novel, The Class depicts one year in an inner city junior high classroom on the outskirts of Paris, navigating the lives of those who inhabit it. Bégaudeau portrays Mr. Marin, the school’s French teacher, modeled after his own experiences. His students hail from different corners of the world, but are forced to adopt a French identity, turning Marin’s classroom into a politically-charged melting pot. In the year-long film shoot, the young student actors were encouraged to improvise and grow with their fellow “classmates.” The Class reminds us that middle school children are naturally vicious creatures, loading their actions and language with venom to protect them against the eternal tribulations of growing up.
The original French title, Entre les Murs, translates to Between the Walls, accurately describing director Laurent Cantet’s roaming handheld cameras that never leave the school grounds. They add a layer of claustrophobia alongside a sense of private voyeurism. Each facet of the fly-on-the-wall filmmaking, from the tense parent teacher conferences to the violent fights on the playground, rings true. Although we never follow these students home, nor do we learn much of Mr. Marin’s private affairs, their interactions in the classroom are fully realized and authentic, well earning the film’s emotional payoff. A brilliant hybrid of documentary and fiction, The Class may force you to relive junior high, but the insights gained are worth the grade.
The Class Directed by: Laurent Cantet Starring: François Bégaudeau Rated: PG-13, 128 min.
