Monsieur Lazhar

No matter where you go... there you are

A tender, introspective drama about grief and healing in which a wounded immigrant teacher helps traumatized children process loss while concealing his own profound suffering.

During a harsh Montréal winter, an elementary-school class is left reeling after its teacher commits suicide. Bachir Lazhar, a charismatic Algerian immigrant, steps in as the substitute teacher for the classroom of traumatized children. All the while, he must keep his personal life tucked away: the fact that he is seeking political refuge in Québec – and that he, like the children, has suffered an appalling loss.