PRIMAIRE/ ELEMENTARY

France, 2016, 105 minutes, Colour.
Sarah Forrestier, Vincent Elbaz, Albert Cousi, Ghillas Bendjoudi.
Directed by Helene Angel.

Over the years the French have made a number of films about schools and education. Notable was the 2002 filming, Etre et Avoir, directed by Nicholas Philibert, focusing on one teacher working in a country school, a primary class. The Class, in 2009, directed by Laurence Cantet, won a number of awards and was an Oscar nominee.

As the title indicates, this film takes place in a primary school, focusing on one of the teachers, played by Sarah Forestier. There is a range of children in the class, a cosmopolitan class with some students still learning language or learning to read. There are also a number of students with physical and mental drawbacks. We see a number of the teachers, the principal, and student aides like the woman who had spent several years with an autistic girl and has to face the fact that she is going on to a middle school. This is the aim of all the students in the class.

The teacher lives on site, separated from her husband who works in Indonesia, but with her son who is also in her class, wanting to answer questions, but her tending to ignore him, his complaining how difficult it is to have his mother as the teacher. He has a clash with another, larger boy, in another class whose mother has mental problems, has abandoned her son, who is looked after by a sympathetic man who had a relationship with the mother.

The film shows the pressures from day to day, focusing on a number of the children. They also study some Greek mythology and are preparing a pageant for the end of the year which they ultimately perform.

The teacher is worn down, becoming involved in so many problems, having discussions with her husband about her son going to Indonesia, warming to the man who becomes the guardian to the older boy.

Obviously, of interest to those involved in education and to parents.

1. The title? Primary school? Elementary school? The end of four years? The transition to middle school? The students, the staff, teachers and dedication?

2. The French city, the background, the school, grounds, interiors, classrooms, headmaster’s office, accommodation? The musical score?

3. The focus on Florence? Age, experience? Her ex-husband in Indonesia and his later visit, custody of their son? Dennis, at home, at school, wanting to answer questions, the difficulties of being in a class with his mother as the teacher? Florence and her work with individual students, the little girl and her reading problems, Charlotte and Madame Dury accompanying her, the other children in the class? Sacha and his coming into the class? Her working with the other teachers, with the principal? The pressure on her, emotional, the temptation to give up? The supervision and assessment? Her work with the trainee teacher and trying to advise her?

4. Dennis, his age, experience in class, his mother ignoring his hand up? Living in the school? At home, wanting to be with his father in Indonesia? The map? Sacha, his background, size, the clashes with Dennis? In the apartment, the painting of the rabbit, losing it, search, the later apology?

5. Sacha and his situation, his mother and her personal and mental problems, disappearing? Mathieu, his looking after Sacha for six years? Interactions with Florence? Emotional? The meal, the discussions? His decisions, wanting to give the boy back to his mother?

6. Florence, her meeting with Sacha’s mother, in the shop, the discussion, the mental condition, fear of losing her job?

7. The discussions with the principal and the other teachers?

8. The classes, the stories of the gods? The preparation of the pageant, rehearsals, casting? The little girl and her ability to read? Late on stage? The other students? Florence arriving, the parents and the acclamation?

9. Dennis, his father taking him to Indonesia, Florence, wanting to resign, staying on, the relationship with Mathieu?

10. The glimpse over several weeks of work in the classroom, in the school, the children, energy, playing up, learning, transition to the next stage of school?