Frenchman Thomas Lilti studied Medicine and, after examining different facets of that profession in several of his previous works behind the camera, in this one he sets his sights on another professional sector. If in his most famous film, 'Hippocrates' (2014), he made a choral portrait of the ecosystem of a hospital to vindicate French public health professionals, now he does the same with those of state education, contemplating the day-to-day life of a suburban high school.
Now as then, Lilti tells the reality of the institution through the individualities that make it work. And it does so by paying more attention to the mundane crises that complicate the lives of teachers than to observing the educational system – although it makes allusions to the disconnection of the Administration, study plans, budgetary problems and ethical dilemmas – or to the exploration of the idea transmission of knowledge that underpins schools. Here, in general, the students become little more than extras.
While it is true that the idealization of the professionalism and dedication of teachers that Lilti proposes at times borders on caricature, otherwise his narration displays more restraint. She does not rely on class stereotypes or abuse melodramatic overtones, and exhibits an evident capacity to generate empathy thanks to the effectiveness with which it mixes lightness and gravity.
