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Quebec. 2011. Dir.: Philippe Falardeau. 94 min. Digital projection. With : Fellag, Brigitte Poupart, Danielle Proulx, Sophie Nélisse, Émilien Néron.

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Acclaimed everywhere and rewarded many times across the globe, Monsieur Lazhar by Philippe Falardeau is leaving the public and the critics unanimous: it is THE film to see this year. Monsieur Lazhar has been chosen to represent Canada in the race to the 2012 Academy Awards nominations.

A Montreal elementary school teacher dies unexpectedly. When he reads about this tragic news in the newspaper, Bachir Lazhar (Fellag), a 55 years old Algerian, offers the school his services as a substitute teacher. He is very rapidly hired in order to fill in the gap left behind by the missing teacher. That is how Bachir makes his first steps into Quebec’s labor market as an immigrant, in an institution facing a crisis.

As soon as he arrives, Bachir realizes the huge cultural gap standing between him and his pupils. He slowly learns how to overcome it and eventually becomes closer to his students and is touched by their fragile, but charming personalities. Among them, Alice and Simon, two charismatic students who both appear to be very affected by their teacher’s death. While the class goes through a long healing process, nobody in the school is aware of Bachir's painful former life; nor that he is at risk of being deported at any moment.

Adapted from Evelyne de la Cheneliere's play, Bachir Lazhar depicts the encounter between two distant worlds and the power of self-expression. Using great sensitivity and humor, Philippe Falardeau follows a humble man who is ready to transcend his own loss in order to accompany children beyond the silence and taboo of death. Monsieur Lazhar follows Falardeau’s Congorama (2006) and C’est pas moi, je le jure! (2008).

“Masterful! Algerian actor Fellag is outstanding.”
-PETER HOWELL, THE STAR

“One of the most gripping Québécois films of the last decade.”
-MARTIN BILODEAU, TIFF

“A smart screenplay, moving performances... make this film a high achiever.“
-RADHEYAN SIMONPILLAI, NOW MAGAZINE

“Such emotional force!”
-BRENDAN KELLY, THE GAZETTE

CANADA’S SUBMISSION FOR THE 2012 ACADEMY AWARDS
PUBLIC PRIZE AND VARIETY PRIZE –LOCARNO FILM FESTIVAL, AUGUST 2011
BEST CANADIAN FILM – TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, SEPTEMBER 2011
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE AND PUBLIC PRIZE – NAMUR INTERNATIONAL FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL, OCTOBER 2011
PUBLIC PRIZE (HYDRO-QUÉBEC GRAND PRIZE) AND COMMUNICATIONS AND SOCIETY JURY PRIZE - ABITIBI-TÉMISCAMINGUE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, OCTOBER 2011

Original French version with English subtitles

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