THE TEACHER / UCITELKA

A seemingly passionate and kind teacher uses her pupils to manipulate their parents for her own personal benefit, whether for material gain or even the promise of a romantic affair. Concerned about the school performance of their beloved children, most parents succumb to the pressure and provide the teacher with various services and gifts. Three families, however, decide to take a stand and try to remedy the situation together with the school head teacher at a clandestine parent meeting.

Inspired by true events, this suspenseful and highly topical film about the strength of human character, although set in the early 1980s, tells a universal story that could happen anytime and anywhere… at least as long as corruption, pettiness, and selfishness still rule the world.

“All adults and most children have experienced the feeling where something that might benefit you now might also be the wrong thing to do. Or the other way around: that following your conscience or moral code may be difficult or very disadvantageous. That’s why this story is understandable to everyone. It wasn’t just a feature of the Communist era; similar moral dilemmas, manipulations, and ambiguities are something we must all face every day.“

Jan Hřebejk