Monsieur Lazhar

When an elementary school teacher commits suicide one night after class, the school's overworked principal has a hard time finding a replacement. Bachir Lazhar, a middle-aged Algerian immigrant seeking political refuge in Quebec, applies for the job, having had 19 years experience as a grade school teacher in his home country.

When Bachir is hired, he finds he has to deal with a 10-year-old pupil who has been traumatized because he was the one who discovered the teacher's body, and a girl whose interpretation of the event and resentment toward her friend provoke unforeseen revelations. He begins to care for his students, hoping to prepare them for the future, but runs into opposition from parents who want him to maintain a professional distance.