September 29, 2011
Little Heroes
The film is set in a classroom of a school, under a steamrolling regime. First I must speak of the teacher. Seemingly, his only passion is the implementation of the little decrees from those above him. A man who has betrayed the sanctity of the teaching profession. The film is set around a new school proclamation that 2+2=5; delivered by the teacher. Preceding the telling of this latest edict, there is a piped message from the headmaster, that all new directions must be followed. Although initially shocked, after the cold onslaught from their tutor, they reluctantly agree – except one. Our hero is ordered to the front of the class to demonstrate his acquiescence to the latest by-law. When he puts the numeral four instead of the requested five, he is killed by a classroom firing squad, comprised of older pupils, summoned from another part of the school.
A brilliant duet of script and drama by the writer and the director, that conjured up the feeling of dark orchestras. Of children caught in our cacophony, like the child soldiers of Uganda. Between the song of learning and the echo of nonsense; the crass curriculum. After the assasination, the teacher demands they write the 2+2+5 equation in their books. They all follow the command, except one. The film ends with a shot of this new hero, erasing the numeral 5 that he had written; replacing it with the number 4.
I hope my inbox continues to receive such surprises. But more than this; I hope that the minds of Babak Anvari and Gavin Cullen continue to intertwine and dig, bringing other gems to the surface.