Grande Ecole : DVD, 2004

Sex, class and race collide at a French private school in Robert Salis’ powerful, moving drama, adapted from the stage play by Jean-Marie Besset, it’s set in an elite ... more >

Sex, class and race collide at a French private school in Robert Salis’ powerful, moving drama, adapted from the stage play by Jean-Marie Besset, it’s set in an elite French educational institution, a “grande école” where each year the government filters out students, particularly those from privileged backgrounds to become the country’s future leaders. The story centres on Paul (Grégori Baquet) a new student embarking on his first term at the school. Paul finds it hard to fit in with his bourgeois classmates, but he finds himself emotionally and sexually attracted to his handsome, powerful room mate Louis-Arnault (Jocelyn Quivrin). Although he tries to suppress his feelings, his long-term girlfriend Agnès becomes jealous and proposes a bet: whoever beds Louis Arnault first wins. This is a passionate and erotic film exploring new sexual awakenings as well as a brave statement on the state of contemporary French schooling. < less

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