This is an astonishing film. Originally it was conceived for, but captures fast our imagination. The TV only, but because of its outstanding qualities it was shown at the Film Festival of Karlovy Vary, harvested prizes and has received a much wider scope than intended originally.
The teacher recreates very subtly the atmosphere in Slovakia in the end of the Communist Reign. You can have a good live, if you abide by the their rules. Rule #1: Don't attract attention. Rule #2: Don't disagree with the official opinion. If you are consenting with them, you might have a good life. Maybe you will have somebody with some kind of influence around. But maybe you will also encounter somebody who likes misuse that influence for personal benefit.
The teacher in this movie is such a person. When she gets a new class, she makes meticulous notes about the professions of her new pupils. She employs her children to clean her apartment and used their parents to do her favours, like obtaining rare medicine, giving free taxa rides, doing the shopping or repairing her washing machine. You don't want to do that? Well, your kids will pay the price. Their marks will fall quickly. Those in power can destroy your career, your life.
The Teacher starts somewhat slow, but captures fast our imagination. It shows in a clever way, how the system always finds something to put possible criticism to silence. There is a fine balance between the teacher and how those who are victims of the her caprices react.
On a broader scale this is, however, not only a story about misuse of power in communism. With some adaptations this could bhave happened anywhere.
In a Q&A Zuzana Mauréry, the main actor, said that this film from Slovakia did not fare very well in the Czech Republic. There was no explanation why it was not so successful with Czechs.
8/10
The teacher recreates very subtly the atmosphere in Slovakia in the end of the Communist Reign. You can have a good live, if you abide by the their rules. Rule #1: Don't attract attention. Rule #2: Don't disagree with the official opinion. If you are consenting with them, you might have a good life. Maybe you will have somebody with some kind of influence around. But maybe you will also encounter somebody who likes misuse that influence for personal benefit.
The teacher in this movie is such a person. When she gets a new class, she makes meticulous notes about the professions of her new pupils. She employs her children to clean her apartment and used their parents to do her favours, like obtaining rare medicine, giving free taxa rides, doing the shopping or repairing her washing machine. You don't want to do that? Well, your kids will pay the price. Their marks will fall quickly. Those in power can destroy your career, your life.
The Teacher starts somewhat slow, but captures fast our imagination. It shows in a clever way, how the system always finds something to put possible criticism to silence. There is a fine balance between the teacher and how those who are victims of the her caprices react.
On a broader scale this is, however, not only a story about misuse of power in communism. With some adaptations this could bhave happened anywhere.
In a Q&A Zuzana Mauréry, the main actor, said that this film from Slovakia did not fare very well in the Czech Republic. There was no explanation why it was not so successful with Czechs.
8/10
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