it is also a French film from Quebec, Canada, which also won an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. Previously, it was "Scorched City", this time it was "Monsieur Lazhar" (Monsieur Lazhar). Different themes are the same exquisite and restrained.
On a cold morning in Quebec, in the narrow school playground, a group of noisy pupils waiting to enter the classroom... The beginning of the film immediately turned into a tragedy, the head teacher Martine was found hanged in the classroom by the student. Death is an element that runs through throughout the film. This element entered the eyes of the class prematurely, and it also imprinted an eternal mark in their minds. In such a class, how to teach children how to learn how to Continue to live and study under the shadow of death is a difficult subject. After the incident, the parents were facing a big enemy, and the school immediately refreshed the classroom and arranged a psychiatrist to try to make the children forget the incident as soon as possible, as if it had never happened. But it is conceivable that it is difficult for children to restore the sunshine in a short period of time.
The school staff in this small place was very tight. Just as the principal was scratching his head over who would replace Mr. Martine's vacancy, an Algerian immigrant teacher from Raza who claimed to have more than ten years of teaching experience recommended himself. The appearance of the face of the new head teacher temporarily dilutes the children’s grief, "Who are you", "Where are you from", "What is your country like"... For the children's curiosity, Teacher Raza does not want to touch her own difficulties. Looking back on the past, in fact, he was just a businessman who opened a grocery store in Algeria, but the real teacher was his wife who died of political persecution. In a turmoil, Mr. Raza lost his wife and daughter and came to Canada to apply for permanent residency for refugee status. To come to this school to teach is just a way for Teacher Raza to be forced to make a living.
After taking over this class, Mr. Raza found that while the school and parents hoped to forget about the death of Mr. Martine as soon as possible, his students had different ideas about it. As a child said: "Everyone thinks that the children are mentally hurt. In fact, it is the adults who are really hurt." It is not a good way to overemphasize psychological protection. Children do have psychological shadows. If you don’t face this tragedy, blindly cover up, and forcefully ask this topic to pass, it will bring greater psychological trauma to the children. What the children want is not to forget death, but to talk about death. Only by facing death can the child be healed from the tragedy.
What has the most serious impact on children's psychology is precisely the so-called "secrets that cannot be told", things that are originally depressive, and emotions that need to be expressed, why can't children express themselves and let them express themselves is the best treatment. Regardless of the school’s opposition, Mr. Raza tried to change the way in the classroom. Under his guidance, when death can be discussed and communicated, there is time or logical certainty; when the children say their innermost When it is heavy, death becomes a fable that you can add, delete, and modify, and become a part of life. The hearts of children pretending to be fables instead of shadows of death can fly lightly again.
At the end of the film, the Canadian government approved Teacher Raza's refugee status and permanent residency, but the school could not tolerate his status and forced him to leave. In the last class, on a clear afternoon, Mr. Raza left the children a fable of his own creation, "Big Tree and Chrysalis", and then quietly left. In the fable, Mr. Raza exposed his sufferings and described the sadness in his heart. However, just like what he did to guide the children, since it can be said and expressed, it is enough for Teacher Raza to be a kind of spiritual healing. At the end of the film, Mr. Raza and his favorite little Lolita student embraced warmly, accompanied by a very beautiful piano piece. At that moment, I was embarrassed. I hope that after watching the video, you will do the same.
Scoring: 9 points
Performance: Four-star
Visual: Four-star
Rhythm: Five-star
Story: Five-star
Music: Five-star
View more about Monsieur Lazhar reviews
