School Life

Sept 27 Rhinebeck

Wed

9/27

3:10

Charming, intimate, and warm-hearted, School Life provides an empathetic portrait of the work gifted teachers do to help children flourish.

The film follows a year in the lives of two inspirational teachers at Headfort, the only primary-age boarding school in Ireland. Housed in an 18th Century mansion, the school mixes tradition with modernity — offering rock music alongside Math, Science, and Latin, and using books and theater to snare young minds. Amanda and John, for whom teaching is nothing short of a calling, have taught at the school for decades. In their thick sweaters and sensible shoes, they live their lives on campus. A celebration of their dedication (and, by extension, the dedication of teachers everywhere), we see them at work, we see them at rest, we see them kneeling by an open window wondering what they would ever do with themselves if they weren’t part of the school. Celebrate the start of the school year and get inspired about what education can look like with this delightful film.

“JOYOUS AND HUMANE. A moving, heartwarming look at youth, thoughtful discourse, and the emotional and intellectual power of artistic endeavors.”
Gary Garrison, The Playlist

(Ireland & Spain / 2016 / Directed by Neasa Ní Chianáin & David Rane)
PG-13 / 1 hr 39 mins.