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Who else has seen this?

A much needed shot of humanity in this weird life I have built for myself.

Buried childhood memories came trickling back.

I spent my first two years of primary school in a village school in deepest mid-Wales with only 20 or so pupils. Then I went back to London. Does anyone else have part-rural, part-urban roots?

That short interview in the middle with the teacher is one of the most powerful things I've ever seen.

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 31 July 2003 22:21 (twenty-two years ago)

I didn't go to see this because it looked a bit, well... twee. And Peter Bradshaw liked it. Would you recommend it to people who didn't go to school in deepest mid-Wales?

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Thursday, 31 July 2003 22:27 (twenty-two years ago)

It's not twee unless you find children being children twee per se. For the first half hour or so I was wondering a bit whether it was just for going 'ahhh' at, but then it somehow became deeper.

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 31 July 2003 22:30 (twenty-two years ago)

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

― RJG (RJG), Thursday, 31 July 2003 22:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes, more like that.

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 31 July 2003 22:42 (twenty-two years ago)

I missed this because I suck.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Friday, 1 August 2003 08:14 (twenty-two years ago)

It is remarkably twee, but only in as much as children often are remarkably twee. I felt some of the editing was a bit too story led - if the idea was to follow the kids through the year there were bits (with ultimate cutesey pie Jojo) which seemed constructed. I was actually a bit more interested int he life at home, the eight year old kid doing his homework and then riding the tractor.

The thing it reminded me of most vividly is that there is a time when adding up and reading is really, really difficult which you sometimes forget.

― Pete (Pete), Friday, 1 August 2003 09:20 (twenty-two years ago)

I couldn't work out whether it was weird and voyeuristic to watch a very young child screaming for its mother. It wasn't twee though so much as just plain sweet. And funny. Children Say The Funniest Things goes arthouse. Do we wish all schools were like that?

― Archel (Archel), Friday, 1 August 2003 09:52 (twenty-two years ago)

I worried what would happen if the teacher took against one of them. He teaches them for about four years after all - it must be pretty hard for them to adapt when they get to a larger school.

I don't think all schools like that wpoudl be that good an idea.

― Pete (Pete), Friday, 1 August 2003 10:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Perhaps the most moving scene was with a child who was clearly not cute (Natalie). And Jojo's rat's tail was pretty rank too, so I don't think the fim can be accused of being one big cuteathon.

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 1 August 2003 10:56 (twenty-two years ago)

It was 0.5 interesting documentary 0.5 cuteathon.It was interesting becuas whilst I felt strongly sympathetic towards Nathalie I got the feeling that this was one of the upshots of being in such a small school (she is certainly the one I would like to get follow up on to see how this painfully shy child succeeded in the larger school).

The fact the film did not really engage in these discussions frustrated me a touch.

― Pete (Pete), Friday, 1 August 2003 11:04 (twenty-two years ago)

I had the same teacher for four years and it would have been 12 years in total if I'd been at the Steiner school for the whole time. (Not for all subjects, but for three hours a day every day.) Nobody had the problem you thought of Pete. Lots of others though like any school.

― Archel (Archel), Friday, 1 August 2003 12:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Are Pete and Archel really the only two other people on ILE to been to see this film? Maybe it's a particularly big hit in Glasgow - it's been running for three weeks at the UGC and when I saw it last night the cinema was almost full.

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 1 August 2003 12:31 (twenty-two years ago)

It got a little bit swamped in London (and its being distributed by the UGC who only have the Haymarket and Trocedero - the Troc being only evenings due to work being done on it - which is bladdy annoying actually cos I have an Unlimited card and means I get only one new film a week at a UGC I can easily get at so it isn't saving me as much money as it should).

The same teacher all the time though Archel, is a ee bit different (other teachers can at least monitor progress). The geezer in the film was really nice, though you already got the idea he had pegged Jojo as a bit of a thick loser - since kids change SO much in this period I'm just wondering how healthy it can be. How much of Nathalie's shyness was caused by being in that environment (potentially none).

― Pete (Pete), Friday, 1 August 2003 12:37 (twenty-two years ago)

I feel uncomfortable with the word 'powerful' describing an experience.

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 9 August 2003 12:18 (twenty-two years ago)

two weeks pass...

"It's quite sad, isn't it?"

― David. (Cozen), Thursday, 28 August 2003 17:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Powerful is a bit lame, sorry. I was describing the scene, not the experience though. I hate adjectives.

Why the quotes, David?

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 28 August 2003 17:59 (twenty-two years ago)

It was something the girl who was sat behind me said at the end of the film, which just struck me as quite facile and silly and obviously accurate and maybe a good thing to say about the film. I'm not sure it's powerful (as you've already conceded) but it is definitely touching (the scene where he sits Julien down to talk about his dad, the confused & confusing uncle helping Olivier with his maths, the fact I can remember all the names &c.) It's possibly the best film I've seen this year and kinda wish I wasn't so ill-equipped to say anything of substance about films ever so I could perhaps do it some justice : (

― David. (Cozen), Thursday, 28 August 2003 18:05 (twenty-two years ago)

They showed it on BBC4 earlier. Last week they had 'Live Forever' on. It's amazing how quickly they show these BBC funded things after their cinema release. I don't know if they'll be repeating it, but look out.

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 1 September 2003 21:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Wow. Could you possibly tape it for me?

― Cozen (Cozen), Monday, 1 September 2003 21:13 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm afraid I don't actually own a video recorder (and never have - long standing neurosis of mine).

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 1 September 2003 21:57 (twenty-two years ago)

one year passes...

it's on NOW!

― jed_ (jed), Sunday, 19 June 2005 20:53 (twenty-one years ago)

That was beautiful. I need to watch it again now.

― Taste the Blood of Scrovula (noodle vague), Monday, 20 June 2005 06:39 (twenty-one years ago)

I really enjoyed this.

― M. White (Miguelito), Monday, 20 June 2005 15:09 (twenty-one years ago)

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