The Substitute (2007)

There's something strange about the new substitute teacher in class.

Director:

Andrea Jublin

Stars:

Valentino Campitelli, Arianna Dal Buono, Lorenzo de Cicco

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins.

Cast

Credited cast:
Valentino Campitelli	...	Il Piccolo Lard
Arianna Dal Buono	...	La Poetessa
Lorenzo de Cicco	...	Il Lecchino
Nicola De Feo	...	Caverna Fabrizio
Pasquale Garofalo	...	Impiegati
Andrea Jublin	...	Il Supplente
Bruno Pannozzo	...	Impiegati
Mauro Stenico	...	Impiegati
Rinaldo Tagliaferri	...	Impiegati

Storyline

In a noisy high-school classroom in Rome, a substitute teacher enters and immediately establishes control: he confiscates a student's ball, accepts a small gift from another, and puts students through their paces, having them imitate animals, making fun of those who are too eager, rewarding those whose marks in the class roster are usually low. All but one student tries to please him; except for her - a quiet girl writing a poem - all are willing to discard dignity and camaraderie for a shot at a high mark. What lessons are being taught and learned here, and what about the ball?

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Plot Keywords:

student | teacher | class | substitute teacher | ball | 

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Genres:

Short | Comedy

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Did You Know?

Quotes

[repeated line]
Il Piccolo Lard: Sir, will you give me my ball back. It's autographed by Del Piero.

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Connections

Featured in The 2007 Academy Award Nominated Short Films: Live Action (2008)

User Reviews

Italian short film 'The Substitute' presents two different facets of Italy !!!!

Although it was nominated for academy awards, Italian short film "The Substitute" does not have the right stuff to be called an entertaining film. It has some moments of megalomania but they do not help much to attract viewers. This film's primary concern is the depiction of an 'Italian nation' especially its young people. This is something which can divide viewers' opinions. Those who consider Italy as a corrupt country are likely to see their joy getting doubled as too many irresponsible Italian youngsters have been shown in the film. They present a highly negative image of the Italian nation due to their lack of manners and claim to an irresponsible behavior. This would not be the same story with people who appreciate Italy as a land of culture. They would be able to observe how important football is for Italian youngsters in all places including a classroom. It is due to the grandiose arrival of a 'substitute teacher' that the film changes its trajectory. Alas, everything is spoiled as actor Andrea Jublin overacts as well as overreacts even when he has been credited as the film's director. This is something which irritates viewers to such a large extent that they do not bother to ask how an outsider has gained entry into a school as a substitute teacher ?

Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

15 February 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Le remplaçant

Filming Locations:

Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Frame by Frame, Sky Italia

Technical Specs

Runtime:

17 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1