Le Futur de l’imparfait

“Never forget to check whether the one who refuses to walk has a nail in his shoe.” (Fernand Deligny) Jean-Baptiste Clément secondary school in the 20th district of Paris gives classes of adapted education for slow-learners and problem teenagers. Bernard, the headmaster, and his staff do their utmost to help their students’ schooling. Yet these youngsters, mostly of North and Black African parents, carry the shame of a bad school record, which is often caused by a dramatic family or social history. For some of them, violence offers a means of revenge. Over the school year, Zowie, tries to make her fifteen second-year students feel more self-confident, curious and eager to learn. But they often feel so socially excluded and with no future outlooks that they fail to understand the need to learn and revolt against all forms of authority. What will finally become of Rashid, Aruna and Stéphane?