The class

DVD - 2009

Based on Bégaudeau's semi-autographical book Entre Les Murs (Between the Walls) "The Class" dramatizes a year in the life of a middle school in an immigrant heavy, multiracial neighborhood in Paris. The students are also nonprofessionals, and classroom sessions were improvised from workshops around specific themes. The documentary-approach to the filming puts the lie to the one-teacher-can-make-a-difference myth propagated by so many other films about school. The shifting classroom dynamics emphasize how traditions, economics, and language hold these students back, not only in education, but also with forging any kind of unified French identity. Additionally, the film suggests it is not just racists or reactionaries that are... worrisome; it is when genuine idealists are finally worn down, when the gulf between meaning well and doing well becomes unbridgable. Until the system can be changed, both battles and victories will be moment to moment.

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Subjects
Genres
Feature films
Fiction films
Film adaptations
Biographical films
Video recordings for the hearing impaired
Published
Culver City, CA : Distributed by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment [2009]
Language
French
English
Spanish
Corporate Authors
Haut et Court (Firm), France 2 cinéma (Firm), Studio Canal+, Cinécinéma (Firm), Cofinova 4 (Firm), Soficinéma 3 (Firm), Centre national de la cinématographie (France)
Corporate Authors
Haut et Court (Firm) (production company), France 2 cinéma (Firm), Studio Canal+, Cinécinéma (Firm), Cofinova 4 (Firm), Soficinéma 3 (Firm), Centre national de la cinématographie (France)
Other Authors
Laurent Cantet (film director), Robin Campillo (screenwriter), François Bégaudeau, 1971- (actor), Carole Scotta (film producer), Caroline Benjo (-), Simon Arnal-Szlovak, Barbara Letellier, Nassim Amrabt, Juliette Demaille, Laura Baquela, Cherif Bounaïdja Rachedi, Dalla Doucoure
Online Access
Connect to reviews of this title online
http://www.mrqe.com/movie_reviews/entre-les-murs-m100072355
Connect to International Movie Database for more information
View cover art
Item Description
Librement inspire de l'ouvrage "Entre les murs" de Francois Begaudeau Verticales, Editions Gallimard 2006 [based on the book "Entre les murs" by François Bégaudeau, published by Portraits, Editions Gallimard 2006].
Originally produced as a French documentary in 2008.
Special features: Audio and video scene commentaries with director Laurent Cantet and writer/actor François Béjaudeau (23 min.); Making of "The Class" [featurette] (42 min.); Theatrical trailer (3 min.); Previews (9 min.).
Physical Description
1 videodisc (130 min.) : sound, color ; 4 3/4 in
Format
DVD; Region 1; Dolby digital surround; anamorphic widescreen presentation, 2.35:1 aspect ratio.
Audience
MPAA rating: PG-13 for language.
Awards
Winner, 2008 Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or--Laurent Cantet; Winner 2009 César for Meilleur scénario adaptation (Best Writing-Adaptation)--François Bégaudeau, Robin Campillo, Laurent Cantet.
Production Credits
Cinematography, Pierre Milon, Catherine Pujol, Georgi Lazarevski ; editors, Robin Campillo, Stéphanie Léger ; costumes, Marie Le Garrec, Babeth Joinet, Camille Guillé, Juliette Milon, Manuela Taco ; production design, Sabine Barthélémy, Hélène Bellanger, Maryline Le Bihan, Laurent Dameme, Frédéric Mas.
ISBN
9781435946255
  • Special features: Making-of featurette
  • Commentary on select scenes
  • Language: French LCR (discrete surround ; English LCR (discrete surround ; Spanish dolby surround
  • Subtitles: English, Spanish.