AFFFF25: The Good Teacher

Australian Premiere

Inspired by true events, Teddy Lussi-Modeste’s gripping new morality thriller – co-written by Venice Golden Bear winner Audrey Diwan – stars the exceptional François Civil (The Three Musketeers) as a dedicated young educator whose world is upended when he is accused of misconduct by one of his students.

Julien (Civil) has recently commenced teaching at a middle school in the Parisian suburbs. Enthusiastic, likeable and extremely diligent, he is absolutely floored when informed that introverted teenage pupil Leslie (Toscane Duquesne) has alleged he attempted to seduce her during class. Knowing this to be false but hesitant to articulate why, Julien grows more anxious when he realises that the school executive is only expressing half-hearted support for him whilst it moves to protect itself. As pressure builds from Leslie’s imposing older brother and her classmates, and the discomforting ramifications of the accusation – and the motivations behind it –- spread into the community at large, both Julien and Leslie face not only hostility, but danger…

Set within the microcosm of the school, but reflective of wider society, Lussi-Modeste’s enthralling, nuanced and conversation-starting film is an intelligent and highly believable exploration of the complexities of human behaviour in the post #MeToo era.