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Entre les Murs

Je suis chez mon vieil ami Jonathan à Bruxelles et hier soir j'ai eu l'occasion d'aller voir Entre les Murs, le film de Laurent Cantet sur une classe d'élèves "difficiles" en banlieue parisienne. Eh bien, il faut aller le voir ou l'acheter le plus tôt possible. Pas un seul moment je n'étais pas collé à l'écran. C'est un film qui aborde beaucoup de questions: les tensions entre les ethnies, les faiblesses du système éducatif français, les difficultés des immigrés, l'écart énorme entre les désirs des élèves et des profs qui se retrouvent coincés dans un système totalement inadapté. Les comédiens sont formidables, profs et élèves, et j'ai eu la bizarre impression de ne pas savoir si je regardais un documentaire (style Etre et Avoir) ou un "vrai film".

Le rôle principal est admirablement joué par l'auteur. Et ne vous trompez pas. C'est un mauvais prof, apparemment peu formé, qui ne sait pas du tout quoi faire avec ces jeunes. Son ton accusateur finit par mener à un geste de révolte de la part de l'élève le moins motivé, Souleymane (celui que le prof avait essayé de protéger). Les jeunes, eux, sont plutôt sympathiques, parfois amusants, surtout Esmeralde, la déléguée de classe.

Ce film est une vraie leçon pour nous tous: profs, politiques, administrateurs. Il ne tombe pas du tout dans le sentimentalisme et on a l'impression que tous les participants sont victimes. C'est un petit film à la fois déprimant et remarquable. Laurent Cantet a fait un chef d'oeuvre.

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