Directed by Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar | France | French w/ English subtitles | 2014 | Fiction | 105 mins
Sponsored by Frank & Ducky Donath
Film Source: Menemsha Films
Post-screening discussion led by UVM Associate Professor of French Meaghan Emery
VTIFF FOR SCHOOLS is sponsored by the John M Bissell Foundation and by Jane Kramer
For information about bringing student groups to the festival or to reserve a block of tickets at a special group rate, email seth@vtiff.org
Based on a true story and co-written by one of its teenage stars, Once in a Lifetime tells the story of an unruly and antagonistic group of students who are entered into a scholastic competition. Assigned a project involving the Holocaust, the multicultural class is forced to confront an array of questions, prejudices, and misconceptions as they figure out how to collaborate with one another. Featuring authentic performances across the board, the film explores how seemingly irreconcilable differences can actually become assets when used to collectively confront a challenge.