Synopsis

Following a year in the lives of two inspirational teachers in the only primary-age boarding school in Ireland. For John, rock music is just another subject alongside Maths, Scripture and Latin. For Amanda the key to connecting with children is the book and she uses all means to snare the young minds. For nearly half a century these two have shaped thousands of minds but now the unthinkable looms: what would retirement mean? What will keep them young if they leave?

Director

• 

  David Rane
  

  School Life (2016)

  In our initial research, we watched many films about schools. What is unique about the experience in our film, is the level of access we were given, behind the scenes, entering into a world where every parent would like to be a fly-on-the-wall.

  Part of reflecting the world of Headfort is about capturing its aesthetics, the backdrop to this unusual school. We didn’t want the to be positioned as a voyeur, it was very much a
  part of the circle, part of the community.

  Our film is the result of the relationship we have built up while researching during our first year of the project at Headfort. Stemming from this relationship between teacher, student and film crew, produced intimate footage with raw emotion, that we feel is rarely found on film or television today.

  Our work is not staged, it’s observational in style, the rapport with our characters meant they accepted our presence in their lives, especially the children who just went on with their everyday life at Headfort, and allowed us to capture those special moments, where the kids are just kids, playing in the forts and interacting in the dorms.

  Getting to that level of intimacy is a skill and it required a lot of time and trust. We could not possibly make a film about a boarding school, that unpeels the many layers of this world without having invested so much time researching, understanding and planning how to film this very nuanced institution.

  Our documentary is an examination of a particular type of childhood and education, a childhood very different from what most parents in the 21st century deem as conventional, or even acceptable, and an education that sets Headfort apart from the norm.

  The school building and its grounds, to us acted as a character in the film. The environment in which the characters are living, shapes the overall experience of the world the film inhabits. When filming we treated Headfort as a world within itself. Once the audience enter the world of Headfort school, they never leave the school grounds. This was an aesthetic decision taken to try to reflect the dilemma and reluctance of most of the characters in the film, (teachers and students a like) to ever leave the school.

• 

  Neasa Ní Chianáin
  

  The Stranger (2014)
  Fairytale of Kathmandu (2007)
  Frank Ned & Busy Lizzie (2004)

  In our initial research, we watched many films about schools. What is unique about the experience in our film, is the level of access we were given, behind the scenes, entering into a world where every parent would like to be a fly-on-the-wall.

  Part of reflecting the world of Headfort is about capturing its aesthetics, the backdrop to this unusual school. We didn’t want the to be positioned as a voyeur, it was very much a
  part of the circle, part of the community.

  Our film is the result of the relationship we have built up while researching during our first year of the project at Headfort. Stemming from this relationship between teacher, student and film crew, produced intimate footage with raw emotion, that we feel is rarely found on film or television today.

  Our work is not staged, it’s observational in style, the rapport with our characters meant they accepted our presence in their lives, especially the children who just went on with their everyday life at Headfort, and allowed us to capture those special moments, where the kids are just kids, playing in the forts and interacting in the dorms.

  Getting to that level of intimacy is a skill and it required a lot of time and trust. We could not possibly make a film about a boarding school, that unpeels the many layers of this world without having invested so much time researching, understanding and planning how to film this very nuanced institution.

  Our documentary is an examination of a particular type of childhood and education, a childhood very different from what most parents in the 21st century deem as conventional, or even acceptable, and an education that sets Headfort apart from the norm.

  The school building and its grounds, to us acted as a character in the film. The environment in which the characters are living, shapes the overall experience of the world the film inhabits. When filming we treated Headfort as a world within itself. Once the audience enter the world of Headfort school, they never leave the school grounds. This was an aesthetic decision taken to try to reflect the dilemma and reluctance of most of the characters in the film, (teachers and students a like) to ever leave the school.

Review

The Korean students cannot learn the wisdom necessary to life in the school life far removed from the true life. They get tired, hurt, and lie down, go asleep in school, just competing hard without knowing the reason. ‘Classroom turned into sleeping room’ is the most appropriate expression to describe the classrooms in Korea. The teachers and students have been ignoring each other, anger, frustrated at school. The Korean students cannot properly grow up in the school life devoid of the life.
The school life is the students' life itself at Headfort, the 18th-century building surrounded by the beautiful nature. Seeing the students perform in a school play, play football and draw a picture, Koreans would ask them when they study, but the students of the Headfort are developing every moment, because they don't stop learning. The teachers help them in a long learning process close to them, and try to understand each of them in several respects through the conversation. They receive respect and love from their students, not for strict rules and authoritative manner, but for earnest interest in students and careful education.
The audience could appreciate the beauty of school life, when they watch the students close to tears, quietly embracing their teachers in a graduation ceremony. Poorly playing "Twinkle, twinkle, little star..." in the place the students left, the teachers look especially beautiful. This documentary does leave something to be desired as the appearance of students from the minority groups, including female students, Asian students, etc. is shown less than that of white male students through it. As if it reflects the life in Ireland... [Naim Yun-gyeong]​

Credits

• Director  Neasa Ní Chianáin, David Rane
• Producer, Sound  David Rane
• Cinematographer  Neasa Ní Chianáin
• Editor  Mirjam Strugalla
• Music  Eryck Abecassis

Contribution & Wolrd Sales

• Contribution & Wolrd Sales  Magnolia Pictures
• E-mail  lsagebiel@magpictures.com