Director: Ruth Beckerman
Language: German, Turkish; English and Hebrew subtitles
A close look at an elementary school class in Vienna, a class that reflects the dynamics of contemporary Europe: it is entirely made up of first- or second-generation immigrants, whose primary language is not German, and where the values emerging in the classroom often clash with those familiar from home. Overseeing this fragile and complex dynamic is Ilkay, the patient and nurturing teacher who also knows how to discipline when necessary. Ilkay manages to uncover the hidden potential in the children and helps them realize it. Filmmaker Ruth Beckermann documents three years in the life of a single class at Vienna's largest elementary school, offering an original and fascinating perspective on Austrian society—and, just as importantly, a heartwarming one.