Year: 2016
Country:
SLOVAKIA, CZECH REPUBLIC
Language:
Slovak, Czech
Run Time:
102 minutes
At the start of every school year in this suburb of Bratislava, teacher Maria Drazdechova’s no-nonsense pumps can be heard clacking across the floor to her classroom. It’s 1983 and the teacher’s smiling inquiries into her new pupils’ family relationships are unsettling. Well-connected with the Communist Party, she employs insidious methods to manipulate her students—and their families—into doing her bidding. Those who don’t style her hair or fix her apartment when summoned will see their children’s grades slip or find them ejected from their sports teams. The school principal calls the parents together for an urgent meeting, proposing they sign a petition to get Miss Drazdechova ousted. But the repressive political regime has made everyone fear repercussions. Will the parents remain silent and intimidated? Is it best for the children if they speak out? Strikingly edited, THE TEACHER features a stellar ensemble cast. Jan Hr?ebejk directs Zuzana Mauréry in the role of menacing, floral-clad Miss Drazdechova. Her performance won her the Best Actress Award at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival. (In Slovak and Czech with subtitles) —B.B.
Saturday, April 08, 2017 at 7:00 PM
Sunday, April 09, 2017 at 1:20 PM
Competition
George Gund III Memorial Central and Eastern European Competition
Director
Jan Hřebejk
Jan H?ebejk was born in Prague in 1967. He studied screenwriting and directing at FAMU, the Prague film and television academy. Jan's school friend Petr Jarchovsky is his frequent writing partner. Their work has won dozens of awards internationally. Hr?ebejk was awarded the Director's Spotlight Award at the 34th CIFF.
Filmography
"Big Beat" (1993), "Czech Soda" (1998), "Cosy Dens" (1999)-24th CIFF & 34th CIFF, "Divided We Fall" (2000)-34th CIFF, "Up and Down" (2004)-34th CIFF, "Beauty in Trouble" (2006)-31st CIFF & 34th CIFF, "Teddybear" (2007)-32nd CIFF, "Shameless" (2008)-34th CIFF, "Kawasaki's Rose" (2009)-35th CIFF, "Innocence" (2011), "Honeymoon" (2013)-38th CIFF, THE TEACHER (2016)
Producers
Tibor Búz, Zuzana Mistríková, L'ubica Orechovská, Ondřej Zima, Jan Prušinovsk, Kateřiny Ondřejkové
Screenwriting
Petr Jarchovsky
Cinematography
Martin Ziaran
Editing
Vladimir Barak
Principal Cast
Zuzana Mauréry, Csongor Kassai, Peter Bebjak, Zuzana Konečná, Tamara Fischer
This film is presented with the generous support of JAMES ANDERSON and DAVID WITTKOWSKY.
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