Written and directed by Hélène Angel whom we met during a screening, "Primary" plunges its viewer into the life of a CM2 class and its devoted teacher, welcoming a child in difficulty. Brought to the screen by Sara Forestier and Vincent Elbaz, the fourth film of the director little known to the general public is strong in emotions and realism.
Casting: a successful challenge illuminated by a star of French cinema
To make this documentary-like film, the 49-year-old director integrated into primary school classes for 2 years. The realism that emerges from situations outside and in the classroom are mostly moments lived. With a class of about twenty children of 10 years old on average to direct in a fiction, it is obviously difficult to discover, audition and choose those who will be the most convincing. In this exercise, Hélène Angel and Julie Navarro (the casting director) succeeded brilliantly in what few films have been able to do. The children chosen to form the class are fair, and can upset as much as shock. For the rest, the double caesarized has brought her energy that we know her since The dodge, to infuse the devotion and commitment of her character. Lost between the abandonment of little Sacha she takes care of and her role as a mother forgetting her private life for the benefit of her class, Florence will discover the importance of self-esteem.
For children as for adults, not every role or situation will have been a composition. Many children were cast for their naturalness. The downside of Primary in this category comes from Vincent Elbaz. Performance below his talent or character not developed enough, the one we knew in The Young Peril does not bring what can be expected of him, or what he can do best.
An intimate staging
"School is a representation of society."
This is what the director wanted to show in a Grenoble school that does not escape misfortunes or violence against children or between them. Abandonment, insults, discrimination, mockery, etc… The representation of this society today has the benefit of being intelligently told in a story that asks the right questions. However, the discreet director will be criticized for getting lost a little after the first half. Between the story of Sacha, whom not everyone wants to help and Florence's position in relation to her students and her son, we do not know at one point what the real thread of the film is.
She wanted to tell a story reminiscent of some of the best years of her life, Hélène Angel succeeds a nice coup with this touching and endearing feature film. Sara Forestier's stature does not hide the forest of young Primary talents. Teachers should appreciate this beautiful illustration of their daily lives, parents and children too. Answer in theaters on January 4.
Trailer of "Primary"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8AKcud-M7Y
