In Montreal, a Year 6 class is shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of their beloved teacher, Martine. Having learned of the incident in the newspaper, Bachir Lazhar, a 55 year-old Algerian immigrant, makes his way to the school and offers his services as a substitute teacher. Little by little, Lazhar comes to understand this motley but endearing group, among whom are Alice and Simon, two charismatic pupils particularly affected by their teacher’s passing. Yet while the class begins to heal, nobody in the school is aware of Lazhar’s painful past.
Nominated for an Oscar in 2012, Monsieur Lazhar is a profoundly moving story about a group of young schoolchildren coming to terms with the adult world before their time, and the inspirational educator who transforms their lives.
If you’d like a copy, email allan@bmamag.com and tell him which Frenchman would be most likely to change your life and why.
