In this blog post, I’ll explore the impression the documentary film “The Last Lesson” left on me and the meaning of tolerance conveyed by its imagery.
Why Was I Drawn to This Film?
The film is set in a small agricultural village in Auvergne, France, at a tiny school with a total of 13 students. The combination of “France” and “small village” naturally brought to mind my memories of traveling to Mâcon in southern France. I love France.
The attitude of the French people, who embrace romance and tolerance as part of their lives; their pride in art; and their refusal to carelessly erase the traces of the past—these are the sentiments I have always held toward France. Of course, I know that France also has unresolved issues and a darker side, but when I encounter art, I start from a place of positivity.
France was also the place where I stayed the longest during my backpacking trip through Europe. I visited many places, from Paris to Strasbourg, Nancy, Lille, and Mâcon, and if I had to describe the French people I met in a single word, the feeling of “protection” came to mind. Inherent in their attitude was a sense of “tolérance”—a way of valuing themselves and, in turn, valuing others just as much.
Even after my trip, I was left with a longing to understand the true nature of “tolérance,” and the documentary ‘The Last Lesson’ fulfilled a significant part of that longing. The fact that this film drew 1.7 million viewers in France is a result of the audience’s active empathy, and it was significant that simply watching the film allowed me to participate in that shared understanding.
Moreover, as a young Asian man from a distant country with a keen interest in France, I was able to compare the emotions of those 1.7 million people with my own perspective as an observer standing one step back. In this report, I aim to organize those observations and reflections.
Analysis Based on Visuals
The film opens on a snowy winter morning, showing a view of the village and children riding a school bus to school. The camera then follows a scene of a turtle slowly crawling across the classroom floor before cutting to a close-up; this camera movement reminded me of a particular director’s style.
I felt that the opening, which establishes the turtle as a presence lingering in the classroom, was symbolic. As a creature that endures over long periods while remaining in the same place, the turtle briefly captures the audience’s attention at the film’s beginning. I believed this image served as a metaphor for the film’s intended sense of time, persistence, or an attitude of tolerance.
The dialogue between Mr. Georges and the children in the classroom scene directly illustrates the concept of “tolérance” as understood in the French educational system. Here is an excerpt from the dialogue:
Zozó: Teacher, is it morning or afternoon now? Mr. Georges: Is it morning? Or afternoon? Zozó: Isn’t it the middle of the day? Mr. Georges: What do we do before the middle of the day comes? Zozó: We have a snack. Mr. Georges: Have we had our snack yet? Jojo: No. Mr. Georges: Then I suppose it’s still morning~
In this scene, the teacher does not definitively state the correct answer but asks another question instead. Asking the child for their thoughts and searching for the answer together before asserting whether it is morning or afternoon is an attitude that respects the child’s right to think. I was impressed by this educational approach, which goes beyond simply confirming facts to encourage joint reflection on the emotional and sensory differences between “morning” and “afternoon.”
The Changing Seasons and the Relationship Between People and Nature
Following the classroom scenes and dialogue sequences, the film shifts to panoramic views of the village and images of nature. These transitions go beyond mere jump cuts or devices to show the passage of time; the director seems to be using these scenes to convey a message about where we should focus our attention.
For example, a scene of a child struggling with a math problem, with the whole family gathered around to help, is followed by a scene of the same child skillfully driving a tractor to till the land. Behind the classroom where language lessons are taking place, a snow-covered playground appears, followed by trees and fields that have changed color with the seasons.
These cuts reveal a perspective that views “living” not as a continuous process of learning, but as something gradually acquired through the observation of nature. Rather than focusing on whether the children are good or bad at math, the film emphasizes the fact that they are living in close harmony with nature.
The concerns faced by the characters in the film—such as the challenges of a child with autism, the decision about whether to advance to middle school, or a young child’s longing to see his mother—are not the kind of issues that can be resolved immediately within the classroom. Instead, they are portrayed as matters that gradually emerge and are resolved over time, much like the changing of the seasons, as the children come to accept and understand them through experience.
Mr. Georges’ attitude toward the children, combined with the images of nature depicted in the film, work together to metaphorically suggest that there is a larger classroom beyond the physical walls of the school. In this context, education becomes more than the mere transmission of knowledge; it is about cultivating an attitude of observing and embracing life.
The Ending of the Final Lesson and the Symbol of Tolerance
In the film’s finale, Mr. Georges, who is about to retire after 35 years of service, finishes his last lesson and calls the children up one by one at the end-of-term ceremony to say goodbye. As the excited children leave the classroom for the summer break, the sight of Georges left alone in the room evokes deep emotion in many viewers.
The reason that scene leaves such a lasting impression is likely because we share the feeling of saying goodbye to Mr. Georges, whom we have watched together for over an hour and forty minutes. The farewell to someone who has been a pillar of support by our side, and the parting from someone who posed questions that made us think for ourselves, is conveyed beyond the screen.
Although it is Mr. Georges who appears to be grieving on screen, the audience begins to sense that the children may be feeling an even deeper sorrow. The final shot leaves that emotion hanging as it transitions to the end credits, and the film concludes.
Ultimately, the “tolérance”—or tolerance—they have learned stems from the attitude Georges demonstrated, yet it also resembles the way nature teaches us. The film quietly shows how tolerance becomes a part of life, both within the small routines of the classroom and through the slow changes of nature.
