Met een zoen van de leraar

Barbara den Uyl, Netherlands, The, 1994

For one year, filmmaker Barbara den Uyl returned to the Mondriaan grammar school, a secondary school in Amsterdam West where she had worked as a teacher twenty years ago. At that time the school population consisted largely of white students; today, it is for 90% made up of immigrant students. In all, the school numbers 45 nationalities, the vast majority of which is Turkish or Moroccan. Den Uyl sees her film as an examination of the everyday practice of the multi-cultural society. The daily school problems, as well as culturally instigated conflicts are presented. The film is made up of two parts. In the first part a second grade 'HAVO' (higher general secondary education) class, the group that performs worst, is followed. The principal person is a teacher and co-ordinator who tries to solve communication breakdowns and problems individually. The second part follows the older students. Here, the film focusses on a Moroccan girl who leaves school to get engaged in Morocco, but reports to school again some time later. This film will also participate in the Global Motion programme.