Sara Colangelo
The Kindergarten Teacher
Synopsis
Maggie Gyllenhaal stars as Lisa Spinelli, a kindergarten teacher and poet fed up with her career, her oblivious husband and teenage kids who largely ignore her. When she discovers that a five-year-old in her class may be a poetic prodigy, Lisa becomes fascinated and tries to protect him from neglectful parents. She soon finds herself risking her career and family to nurture his talent.
Cast & Crew
Writer/Director: Sara Colangelo
Cast
Maggie Gyllenhaal, Parker Sevak, Michael Chernus and Gael García Bernal
US
2019
97 min
Cert 12A
Thunderbird Releasing
Reclaim the Frame is supported by the BFI Audience Fund using funding from the National Lottery to grow audience appetite for female-led films across the UK. Birds’ Eye View is a film charity run by the industry insiders who have been dedicated to moving the dial on equality in film for 15 years.
We will tour with the filmmakers and cast (TBC) to London, Manchester, Newcastle, Plymouth, and Birmingham.
The Stills
Reviews
★★★★★
“A level of daring we don't often see…”
The Guardian
“A fiercely brilliant turn from Maggie Gyllenhaal”
Indiewire
“Rippling with psychological complexity”
The Hollywood Reporter
THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHER is a psychological thriller about a woman, named Lisa Spinelli, who lives a mundane life in Staten Island and teaches at a local kindergarten. She takes night classes in poetry and is a forgettable student. But she trudges forth, still enjoying the artistic pursuit, with a certain understanding of her mediocrity. One day she discovers that a boy in her class has a prodigious gift for poetry and, from that moment forward, does everything in her power to support and cultivate his talent—going to dangerous extremes to deliver his art to the world. This film is an exciting project for me because it is the story of, predominantly, one woman. It has given me an opportunity to delve deeply into the fascinating psychology of Lisa—to explore her inner-workings, her good intentions gone awry, and her desire to live a more meaningful life. The story also provides what I think is a nuanced, complex lead role for a 40- something woman — an unfortunate rarity in both Hollywood and the independent film industry. Finally, it has been a unique opportunity to discuss what role, if any, poetry has in modern American life. Is there space for beauty, meaning and human expression in the current Administration and in a world of smart phones, videogames, guns, and remote overseas wars? It’s a vital question, and one that I think is worthwhile for American audiences to grapple with. - Sara Colangelo