La Classe de Vincent

“The central theme of this documentary is about school pupils on the verge of being marginalised. A teacher tries to save them, following the well-tested methods of the “school master”, who is an emblematic figure in French culture. This brings to light what an important place admiration, fear and confidence have in the relationship between the 2nd form class of 13- to 16-year-olds at the Blanquefort technical secondary school, near Bordeaux, and Vincent Huyghe, a specialised teacher. In an approach which contradicts the teacher-buddy approach put to the fore by modern society in its attempts to overcome the educational crisis that marks our times, the film takes an original viewpoint of this period of adolescence, where the teenagers confront what learning means?and how this will affect to a large extent the future of a young person in difficulty. Shot throughout the school year, with in-company training courses playing an important role; it also covers interviews with parents, who cast a dark shadow of this striking picture.” (Waldeck Weisz)