In the school yard ★★★
DRAMA (2021)
Directed by: Laura Wandel
InterpretationsCast: Maya Vanderbeek, Günther Düret

“I chose the school as a context, and specifically the courtyard, because it is a micro-society, and here the question of inclusion arises,” says director Laura Wandel.

The directorial debut of Belgian Laura Wandel with a film that plunges us into the special world of children with strength and originality. The first day of school for seven year old Nora, who is afraid of the unknown. However, her own integration is relatively smooth compared to that of her slightly older brother Abel, who is systematically bullied at school by classmates. When a little girl tries to protect him, he reacts; the micro-society of the schoolyard turns into a daily test for two children, and teachers and parents take their positions in the “trenches”.

Wandelle lowers the camera to the height of the young protagonist, blurring the surroundings to a great extent and thus creating a very direct, almost tangible representation of the child’s point of view and experience. There are times when you think you’re watching a typical… thriller as a confused little girl has to deal with more extroverted classmates or struggle to avoid drowning in the school pool. At the same time, she sees her brother being tortured, but the price of his protection is heavy: she herself has to distance herself from others, and this creates a cruel and unfair dilemma for her.

“I chose the school and specifically the courtyard as the context, because this is a micro-society, and here the question of inclusion arises. I observed children in playgrounds for several months before filming and found a sense of “territoriality”. Everyone is trying to take their place. This is the first place where we learn to communicate with other people outside of our family. What is happening there reflects on many levels what is happening in society and in the world,” notes Laura Wandel.

Indeed, there are moments in her film where the parallels of the trial with “real” adult life are palpable, and sometimes what is happening is exaggerated to the point of dramaturgy. Either way, the positive here is that Wandel doesn’t fall into the trap of revealing too many topics that she would have a hard time dealing with with her limited resources and experience. On the contrary, she makes a “short” – and long – but solid film that has something to say, leaving a few promises to continue her creative path.