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NYFF '08: Laurent Cantet

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NYFF '08: Laurent Cantet

Class is in session

Highlights:

Laurent Cantet won the Palme D’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival for his visceral classroom drama THE CLASS. Casting the actual teacher who authored the book from which the movie was adapted, THE CLASS achieves a sense of realism that continues to enrapture audiences at this film festival much the way it did in France. 

Laurent chats about capturing the real-life democracy of the classroom, demystifying the idea that schools serve only as a place for learning, and writing the script while improvising with his cast of students. 

See the rest of our 2008 New York Film Festival Coverage

Read Mike D'Angelo's review of THE CLASS

Transcript:

Born in 1961, Laurent Cantet, made his debut as a short film director with Tous a la Manif (1994) which won the Prix Jean Vigo 1995, followed by Jeau de Plage (1995). He directed Les Sanguinaires (1997) as part of the series "2000 seen by".  This was followed with his first full-length feature Human Resources (1999) which won a swag of international awards including the César for First Film 2001, Best Film and the Audience Award at the Buenos Aires Film Festival, Best First Film at San Sebastian Film Festival 2000 and European Discovery of the Year at the European Film Awards. Next came the critically acclaimed Time Out (2001) which won the Don Quixote Award at the Venice Film Festival 2001 and the FIPRESCI Prize at the Viennale 2001. He directed Heading South in 2005. The Class is his fourth feature film.

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