The Class

Attention: For school groups only. Not a public event.

Dir. Laurent Cantet, 2008. 128min.

In French with English subtitles

Following a class of 15-year-old students and their literature teacher François Marin, The Class explores dynamics between students and educators of a working-class Parisian neighborhood. Casting non-actors, director Laurent Cantet offers the classroom as a microcosm of wider social problems. Navigating complexities of cultural identity, language, and authority, Marin stands to learn as much as his students. 

Based on a semi-autobiographical novel by former teacher and writer François Bégaudeau, The Class was awarded the Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival in 2008. Cantet’s most recent and final film, Enzo, was presented at the Cannes Film Festival in May of 2025.