Glasgow Film Festival (GFF) was proud to host the UK premiere of what is quite easily one of the most contemporary and emotional films of the year- The Teacher.
Set and shot in the West Bank of Palestine in 2022, The Teacher follows Baseem El-Saleh (Saleh Bakri), an English teacher, as he attempts to navigate life and protect his students under Israeli controlled Palestine as things quickly become more perilous.
There is a sub-plot too, which focuses on the political level of the conflict. A deal between the IDF and Palestinian freedom fighters is heard through the media, side conversations, and then finally, through the characters themselves.
However, whilst the film may be political, the overarching sensation is one of the importance of humanity and compassion.
British-Palestinian writer and director, Farah Nabulsi, based The Teacher on the things she witnessed during her time in Palestine.
The personal touch of the film is unignorable, its intimacy welcoming and intense. The Teacher wraps its arms around you with a fierce strength fueled by pain, love, and truth.
“It’s not a period drama… This is about life, now”
Opening the film, Nabulsi stressed the reality behind her tale: “The Teacher is a deeply human story centred around specific characters.
“It’s a story that was inspired by my own time and travels to the military-occupied and colonised Palestine. There, I met with dozens of Palestinians who have experienced first-hand much of what inspired the screenplay that I wrote.”
Nabulsi went on to explain the particulars of the film, calrifying how it relates to the conflict in Palestine today: “To sort of geographically help- since it’s [the film] arrived at a very crucial junction in the discourse on Palestine-, this film is set in the West Bank, not in Gaza.
“On the one hand, there is Gaza where Israel is conducting a genocide. On the other, there is the West Bank, where this particular story is set.
“We shot in the West Bank of Palestine in very, very difficult conditions. It’s a film set in a very harsh reality and we are shooting the film in that harsh reality as that harsh reality unfolds around us in real time. It’s not a period drama, either. This is about life, now, and the stories of these particular characters.
“So, I feel really humbled and proud to have this film to offer… I hope the film resonates with you. I hope I take you on an emotional journey.”
“Israel is conducting a genocide”
The Teacher does not shy away from the horrors of the humanitarian crisis in Palestine.
It is, however, balanced out nicely. The film has Palestinian and Israeli characters that intermingle to give a fully-loaded image of the troubles faced. It also has a white British woman, Lisa (Imogen Poots), jokingly referred to as Miss United Nations.
However, it’s with the efforts of the protagonist teacher and his antithesis, political American big-wig Simon Cohen (Stanley Townsend), that the complexities and tenderness are truly driven home. The back and forth between the two fathers is a stark reminder of the two sides of the conflict. Both show grief and desperation, and both show the reality of the tragedy.
“To your people, your son is worth 1000 of mine”
The Teacher
Yacoub (Mahmood Bakri) was always a welcome sight on screen- except for one moment, which fellow viewers will understand. His was a stellar performance, with a particularly tragic moment that was as painful as swallowing knives. Bakri delivered his character with the energy and expertise that will hopefully allow him more acting credits in the future.
Aside from the cast, the next best thing to look at was the setting. The war-torn community may have lost much of its architecture, but it has lost none of its community. The busy streets, honking cars, school bells and restaurants all fully immerse the viewer in life in the West Bank. The scenery, too, of the desert, villages and olive tree fields was captivating. There is no pretending this is anywhere other than Palestine.
Final thoughts
The film’s one fault is its attempt to balance too many characters. The mother and younger sister of Yacoub and his brother Adam have an absolutely gut-wrenching scene in the first 20 minutes of the film, only to never be seen again- and no, they weren’t killed.
Some other events are underexplained and a little unbelievably convenient. However, this does not detract from the film’s message. The essence of the film is rammed into the heart of any and every viewer, which makes for an astounding watch.
Forced demolition, house raids, deaths and the burning of olive trees: The Teacher candidly shows the life of Palestinians in the West Bank. It’s a hard watch, but an essential one.
It’s not one to miss at this year’s GFF.
Feature Image credit: Goodfellas