Favoriten

Director: Ruth Beckermann

Director Ruth Beckermann’s latest documentary takes us into a primary school classroom in Vienna’s Favoriten neigborhood. As at other schools in the Austrian capital, more than half of the students do not speak fluent German. And so the students and their devoted teacher spend their time learning not just mathematics, science, or other traditional subjects, but also patience, understanding, respect, and how to communicate in such a diverse group. At times serious as well as humorous, Beckermann’s film asks whether rounding to tens is really the most important skill schools should teach us.