In the context of the Palestinian film festival and the programming of the Ciné-Débats-Citoyens collective, a screening and debate of the film “The Teacher” is organized on Wednesday, April 8 at 7:45 pm at the CGR cinema in Colmar.
“The Teacher”, filmed in Nablus in occupied West Bank, follows the journey of Basem, an English teacher in a Palestinian high school in occupied territory. Regarded as a mentor to his students, he takes the young Adam under his wing, deeply affected by the surrounding violence.
Amidst his risky involvement in political resistance, the emotional responsibility he bears towards his student, and the possibility of a new relationship with Lisa, a foreign volunteer working for an NGO, Basem is faced with weighty choices and their consequences.
Close to the daily lives of Palestinians living under military occupation, the film explores the concrete impact on individual lives: house demolitions, uprooting of olive trees, unpredictable checkpoints, and arrests. Farah Nabulsi explains that her script was inspired by numerous encounters and testimonies collected on the ground. The film avoids falling into simplistic portrayals or victimization, instead showing complex characters engaged in a constant struggle to survive, protect their loved ones, and preserve their dignity.
The filming process itself was marked by the harsh reality of the situation: explosions nearby, demolitions witnessed firsthand, and blocked roads. This immersion lends the film a striking intensity and authenticity.
