Class Enemy Slovenia 2013 – 112min.

Movie Rating

Class Enemy

Movie Rating: Hela Khamarou

"Being a student isn’t a right, it’s a duty.” A new German teacher (Igor Samobor) substitutes at a secondary school for a teacher on maternity leave. He finds himself faced with undisciplined pupils who think his teaching methods are too strict and not suitable for the 21st century. When tensions mount, one of his pupils commits suicide. For the pupils, the reason why is clear: the teacher is responsible for her death.

The first feature by young director Rok Bicek (28 years old), who was inspired by his own experience, has a refined style, in which every word is chosen with care. In its dramatic plot taken from daily life and its neutral color palette, the film is reminiscent of Michael Haneke, Christian Mungiu and Andrey Zvyagintsev. A tense, realistic film based on the idea that everything can change dramatically if one external element is added to a mix that before had seemed quite calm. Caught between the permissiveness of their parents and an extremely strict teacher, the pupils’ two sides confront each other as emotional shock sets in. A movie that says as much about the academic environment as it does about society as whole. In an interview, Bicek recently stated that “The school in the film is like a microsociety in the image of my country.”

31.05.2021

4

Your rating

Comments

You have to sign in to submit comments.

Login & Signup

More movie reviews

Wonder Woman

Carol

Finding Vivian Maier

Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain - Amélie de Montmartre