This movie puts in a classroom the dynamics of society. Fake ideals, hypocrisy, group manipulation, gossips, group harassment.....It is sad reality. I would die to see this movie again.
shareAgreed, it is an excellent film and Lena is brilliant!
shareI just watched it. Great film. At first I couldn't take these schoolkids' problems very seriously, it seemed just a "stupid game" (like some of the kids themselves put it in the film). But the film was so well done and acted that it just draw me in. And actually, it was about quite serious stuff. School bullying can lead to very serious consequences. Sure, the bullying we see in this film is rather modest, according to the standards of some recent films (I mean, nobody was shot or even seriously beaten). But according to the standards of the Soviet cinema of the time, the film was quite shocking and eye-opening.
The film is probably difficult to fully understand without knowing about the Soviet morals. For instance, the constant concern with "traitors", among some of the schoolkids, derives from Soviet upbringing. The accusation of being a traitor was the main reason the Scarecrow was bullied. So, the film can be seen as a criticism of the society, which has brainwashed its children into fanaticism.