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The Teacher

Original title: Ucitelka
  • 2016
  • Unrated
  • 1h 42m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
3.7K
YOUR RATING
The Teacher (2016)
Official Trailer
Play trailer2:16
3 Videos
30 Photos
ComedyDrama

The arrival of Maria Drazdechova, associated with the Communist party, to a school in Bratislava in 1983 worries parents, students, and colleagues.The arrival of Maria Drazdechova, associated with the Communist party, to a school in Bratislava in 1983 worries parents, students, and colleagues.The arrival of Maria Drazdechova, associated with the Communist party, to a school in Bratislava in 1983 worries parents, students, and colleagues.

  • Director
    • Jan Hrebejk
  • Writer
    • Petr Jarchovský
  • Stars
    • Zuzana Mauréry
    • Zuzana Konecná
    • Csongor Kassai
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.2/10
    3.7K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Jan Hrebejk
    • Writer
      • Petr Jarchovský
    • Stars
      • Zuzana Mauréry
      • Zuzana Konecná
      • Csongor Kassai
    • 15User reviews
    • 63Critic reviews
    • 77Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 8 wins & 14 nominations

    Videos3

    The Teacher
    Trailer 2:16
    Watch The Teacher
    The Teacher - US trailer
    Clip 1:54
    Watch The Teacher - US trailer
    The Teacher trailer
    Clip 2:19
    Watch The Teacher trailer

    Photos30

    The Teacher (2016)
    The Teacher (2016)
    The Teacher (2016)
    The Teacher (2016)
    Zuzana Mauréry in The Teacher (2016)
    Zuzana Mauréry in The Teacher (2016)
    The Teacher (2016)
    Peter Bebjak in The Teacher (2016)
    Csongor Kassai and Ladislav Hrusovský in The Teacher (2016)
    Zuzana Mauréry and Peter Bebjak in The Teacher (2016)
    Zuzana Mauréry in The Teacher (2016)
    Csongor Kassai, Ela Lehotská, Ladislav Hrusovský, and Judita Hansman in The Teacher (2016)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Zuzana Mauréry
    Zuzana Mauréry
    • Mária Drazdechová
    Zuzana Konecná
    • Iveta Kucerová
    Csongor Kassai
    Csongor Kassai
    • Marek Kucera
    Tamara Fischer
    Tamara Fischer
    • Danka Kucerová
    Martin Havelka
    Martin Havelka
    • Jaroslav Binder
    Éva Bandor
    Éva Bandor
    • Hana Binderová
    Oliver Oswald
    • Filip Binder
    Peter Bebjak
    Peter Bebjak
    • Václav Littmann
    Richard Labuda
    Richard Labuda
    • Karol Littmann
    Inka Gogálová
    • Head Teacher
    • (as Ina Gogálová)
    Monika Certezni
    • Assistant Head Teacher
    Peter Bartak
    Jozef Domonkos
    Judita Hansman
    • Mrs. Bártová
    Ladislav Hrusovský
    • Mr. Malinovský
    Dusan Kaprálik
    • Janka's Grandfather
    Lubomír Kratochvíl
    Ela Lehotská
    • Mrs. Vojácek
    • Director
      • Jan Hrebejk
    • Writer
      • Petr Jarchovský
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Barbora Bobulova was considered for the part of Mária Drazdechová, eventually played by Zuzana Mauréry.
    • Connections
      Referenced in Shopaholic Nicol: Ze zivota Nicol - Klip, film, Recko (2016)

    User reviews15

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    a chilling allegory for moral corruption under communism
    Some genre labels are highly deceptive. The Czech Republic produced film The Teacher (2016) is labelled a comedy drama but there is little humour in this dark political satire about totalitarian regimes. Minimalist in dialogue and action, it paints a sombre picture for the youth of the communist world.

    The storyline is simple but the atmosphere chilling. It is 1983 in Soviet-era Czechoslovakia and a long way from the child-centred education systems familiar to modern Western audiences. On the first day of school term, new teacher Maria Drazdechova (Zuzana Mauréry) asks each pupil to stand up and declare their parent's occupation. As the powerful chairwoman of the local communist party committee she seems over-confident while the camera pays close attention to her notebook of free services to be called upon. When the pupils inform their parents what happened, a cycle of silent complicity is triggered. Low performing pupils whose parents agree to Maria's hints, such as a free haircut, a fridge repair, or housecleaning, suddenly show an improvement in their school marks. High performing students whose parents do not curry the teacher's favour see their marks and future career prospects spiral downwards; one even attempts suicide. School authorities are intimated and there is no higher avenue of appeal. Both parents and pupils know that something sinister is happening as their school becomes a place of terror.

    The central narrative premise is so disturbing that little embellishment is needed to portray the moral brutality of a corrupt political system. Sub-plots of parent meetings and conspiring pupils add texture to drama. The desaturated filming palette conveys the cold fear of life under communist control and the acting style has a realistic, almost cameo quality that intensifies the trauma of Maria's victims. Zuzana Mauréry and the support cast are largely unknown but are perfect in their roles. Mauréry is particularly effective in portraying a smugly callous disregard for her pupils with a veneer of smiling innocence that masks her ruthless exploitation. While the teacher may depict the corrupt face of totalitarianism it is the parents who reciprocate the mass compliance necessary for propping up such regimes.

    It would be hard to describe this film as entertaining. There are few light moments and little to laugh at when depicting the communist way of life. Being sub-titled, some loss of dialogue nuance is inevitable but the message is unmistakable. With an authentic voice and sense of place, this is a gripping allegory for the moral corruption endemic to communism.
    helpful•18
    4
    • CineMuseFilms
    • Dec 7, 2017

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 21, 2016 (Czech Republic)
    • Countries of origin
      • Slovakia
      • Czech Republic
    • Language
      • Slovak
    • Also known as
      • La maestra
    • Production companies
      • Ceská Televize
      • Offside MEN
      • PubRes
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $64,437
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $15,091
      • Sep 4, 2017
    • Gross worldwide
      • $1,350,426
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 42 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1 / (high definition)

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