Elementary (2016)

Hot on the heels of its recent January release in France, this is a vivacious and emotionally gripping story of a teacher caught between passion for her students and love for her child. Devoted primary school-teacher Florence (an inspired performance by Sara Forestier, Suzanne, AF FFF14) is a single mother who pours her heart and soul into her students each and every day. When she encounters the disruptive student Sacha and finds he has been abandoned by his mother, Florence devotes herself to helping him. But Sacha's plight combined with her impending work assessment put unthinkable strain on Florence, pushing her to a breaking point where she will put everything on the line, including her vocation and even her relationship with her own son. While director Hélène Angel superbly contrasts the entertaining energy and colour of the classroom with the lonely and confused world of Sacha, Forestier delivers a magnificent performance as a woman unwilling to compromise her morals, resulting in a remarkably honest, optimistic and engrossing portrayal of school life.