CA COMMENCE AUJOURD’HUI (IT ALL STARTS TODAY)

France, 1999, 117 minutes, Colour.
Philippe Torreton, Maria Pitarresi.
Directed by Bertrand Tavernier.

Ca Commence Aujourd’hui (It All Starts Today) was a great commercial and critical success for prolific French director Bertrand Tavernier. He had begun directing feature films in his native Lyon in 1974 with The Clockmaker of St Paul. He had a very successful career during the 70s, 80s and 90s, winning many awards.

This film is based on notes by his son-in-law, a schoolmaster in a French town. The focus is on a town in northern France, in the Lille district. The coal mines have been shut, the town has gone into depression, the adults of the town are also listless and not able to function well. This has repercussions for their children, especially at school where Philippe Torreton portrays Daniel, the schoolmaster of the kindergarten.

The film is semi-documentary in style, focuses on Daniel and his work, his own life and his relationship with Valeria and her son, his dealings with the children and relationships with them, his coping with the parents and trying to encourage them.

The film is very strong with its sense of humanity and compassion. It won many awards including the international critics’ at the Berlin film festival and the ecumenical award in Berlin.

1.A satisfying and compassionate entertainment? Filmed with the humanitarian message?

2.North-eastern France, the town, the countryside, the town in the past, the Depression, the present? The background of the coal mines? The naturalistic style in which the film was made?

3.The title, the feel, hopes?

4.The structure of the film, the focus on Daniel, seeing him in class, working with the children, working with the parents, his own personal relationships? His civic sense and contribution to the town?

5.Daniel in himself, his dreams, writing poetry? His parents, their hard life? The background of the mines? His relationship with Valeria, wanting to marry her? Her son? The incident of the boy and the slap? The fish? His relationship with the staff, bonds, tensions? Cathy and the others? The authorities – and the phone calls, their demands, expectations? The meeting with the staff in the classroom? The inspector and his attitude? The mayor? Daniel and his reputation, putting it on the line? The children and the inspector’s qualities? Play? Abused children, the reactions? The parents, the mothers? The deaths? The funeral?

6.The overall effect on him, his sense of being alone, the hopes and dreams of the past, his joys in his work, the hardness of his life, the temptations to quit, the blend of anger and sadness?

7.Daniel, his being graded, the humiliation, the issues of seniority? Wondering what really mattered?

8.The various teachers, their personalities, the naturalistic way in which they were presented? Credible and authentic? The school staff as a group? Activities, concerns? The social concerns?

9.The presentation of the parents, Mrs Henry? Jimmy’s mother? Deafness? The characters, interactions amongst themselves, their children, social concerns, education, the school?

10.The social worker, the visit to Mrs Henry, the phone call, the anti-teacher stances?

11.Town and civic issues, the speeches, issues of unemployment, statistics and budgets – and the issue of lunches as an example?

12.Valeria’s idea, the planning, carrying it out, enjoyment for staff, children?

13.The ultimate affirmation of the film? Humanitarian concerns? The role of education? Building up children and their rights to education? The effect on their parents in depressed times? As a film for France – universal message?