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The Kindergarten Teacher (12A)

Curators' Picks

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Sara Colangelo's Sundance hit tells the story of a Staten Island teacher, fascinated by the possibility that one of her students is a prodigy.

Maggie Gyllenhaal stars as Lisa Spinelli, a kindergarten teacher and poet fed up with her career, her oblivious husband and teenage kids who largely ignore her. When she discovers that a five-year-old in her class may be a poetic prodigy, Lisa becomes fascinated and tries to protect him from neglectful parents. She soon finds herself risking her career and family to nurture his talent.

'Director Sara Colango and lead Maggie Gyllenhaal paint a delicate portrait of a woman on the edge. Gyllenhaal’s performance is utterly brilliant; she portrays a complex character in a beautifully restrained way, creating an uneasy empathy from start to finish. Is Lisa a passionate school teacher who cares about her pupils, or something else entirely? The true magic of this work is that you will barely be able to tell.'

Sonia Zadurian, Cinema Curator

US 2018 Dir Sara Colangelo 97 min

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