Nursery University (2008)

Documentary about disparate NYC parents' efforts to get their children into "feeder preschools," private institutions that claim to set youngsters on the track to admission into Ivy league colleges.

Directors:

Marc H. Simon, Matthew Makar (co-director)

Writer:

Marc H. Simon

Storyline

Set in New York City, the epicenter of a phenomenon cropping up in communities across the United States, "Nursery University" reveals the oddly competitive process of nursery school admissions. The film tells the story of five families - each with different backgrounds and economic circumstances - attempting to place their toddlers in preschool classrooms that have limited spaces and, thus, high price tags. "Nursery University" follows the families' journeys, and the school directors who must determine which "applicants" to allow through their doors.

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Plot Keywords:

nursery | school | school director | toddler | children | 

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Taglines:

Getting In Is No Longer Child's Play

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Genres:

Documentary

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 April 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Esikoulupaniikki Manhattanilla

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$11,307, 26 April 2009, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$23,190, 10 May 2009

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Color:

Color

User Reviews

Certainly one of the most entertaining films I've seen in a long time...

This film is incredibly entertaining. I was it at a screening last night and was blown away, as was the entire audience. The film profiles 5 different New York City families each from varied socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds, and each attempting to navigate through the ultra-competitive world of getting their 3 year old into an elite Manhattan nursery school. The steps each well-meaning (but desperate) parent goes through lends itself to many many laughs but has many heartfelt and poignant moments as well. The film really takes the viewer through an intense emotional ride that is very rewarding and interesting. The subject matter is quite original, I know of no other movie that has tackled this topic in the past. It works very well as a date movie but just as well as a movie for families and friends to enjoy whether or not they have children. It has true universal appeal. I highly recommend it.