ALFF Program - Monsieur Lazhar

Friday, February 10 at 9:00pm

Dir. Philippe Falardeau
Quebec, 2011, 94 minutes

From the producers of the unforgettable Incendies (ALFF 2011) comes one of the most charming and gripping Québécois films of the last decade. Expanded from a one-character play by Evelyne de la Chenelière’s, set in a Montreal elementary school, this beautifully crafted character study speaks of loss and death, innocence and guilt, imposture and honesty, in an eloquent and complex, yet simple and fluid manner.

Bachir Lazhar is a middle-aged Algerian immigrant seeking political refuge in Quebec. Bachir jumps at the opportunity to replace a Montreal elementary school teacher who committed suicide one night after class. The story focuses on Bachir’s relationship with two of his pupils: a ten-year-old boy traumatized by discovering the body of his teacher, and a girl whose interpretation of the event and resentment toward her friend provoke unforeseen revelations. To these children in shock, Bachir’s traditional teaching methods, in the context of Quebec’s endless pedagogical reforms, may well provide the structure they need. Even if, to Bachir’s dismay, the work of Balzac remains beyond their reach. Monsieur Lazhar is a luminous and tender tale about the lessons we learn from one another, regardless of age. -TIFF

Monsieur Lazhar is nominated for nine Genies for 2011, including best actor for Mohamed Fellag.

Screening sponsor: Association franco-yukonnaise - secteur culturel