Young Plato - Film Review Irish Film Festival 2022

Post

Subscribe

Thu 25 Aug 2022 - Sun 16 Oct 2022

Young Plato - Film Review (Irish Film Festival 2022)


Directed by Declan McGrath and Neasa Ni Chianáin, Young Plato the documentary is screening at the Irish Film Festival and runs for 102 mins. It stars Kevin McArevey and Jan-Marie Reel as themselves and is the winner of the 2022 Human Rights Film Award - Dublin International Film Festival; Social Impact Award - Greenwich International Film Festival and Best Feature Documentary - Irish Film and Television Awards 2022.

Set in post-conflict Belfast's Ardoyne housing estates, McArevey is a maverick Elvis-loving all-boys primary school headmaster who also teaches a class in Philosophy. He imparts the wisdom of the Greek philosophers to his young 9-10 year old students. Along with his dedicated, visionary team, they illustrate how critical thinking and pastoral care can empower and encourage children to see beyond the narratives of their parents and peers, and question the mythologies of war and violence.

Kevin McArevey is a patient, very fit, down to earth headmaster who easily engages with his young students, and introduces philosophy as a type of conflict resolution. He never comes across as a lecturer, more an encourager who meets his students at their level, and involves them in reaching outcomes. He exposes them to small doses of philosophy some parents admit flies over their heads, and gets them to ponder profound questions outside the boundaries of their working-class community where poverty, drugs and violence are a part of everyday life. He is one man with a whiteboard and a marker, making a difference, one day at a time.


The film not only centres on the day-to-day running of the school and the conflicts and problem-solving of its students, but also gives you a bleak bird's eye view of Ardoyne as the camera hovers over the neighbourhood and its long lines of terraced houses in what looks like a calm, peaceful community. Don't be fooled as this is a place that has seen violence and was once known as the murder capital of Belfast. It has since been dubbed the suicide capital of Europe. The flashbacks via old footage of Ardoyne where parents and children battle through war-torn streets to get to school in fear amongst the violence around them are a stark reminder of the impact of generational violence and how those dark times have imprinted itself on the community.

The barbed wire, peace walls and threatening murals of IRA and UVF fighters looming down from walls on every corner are a reminder of its history. This is an emotive and endearing documentary laced with humour and it's not just about a school and its students, but about a charismatic dedicated headmaster who is passionate about making changes. With Elvis in his veins, he runs the type of school you'd want to send your children to, and he's the type of teacher you'd want in the lives of your children. It's also a film with lessons we can all learn from today, and apply to our everyday lives. More importantly, the success of teaching a new generation of boys to think for themselves, question old loyalties and finding other ways to manage emotions and anger could be/has to be the hope of building a new Northern Ireland. Elvis Presley's 'If I Can Dream' is a perfect choice as McArevey drives home at end of day.



#august
#september
#cinema
#community_events
#cultural_events
#film_festivals
#film_reviews
#fun_things_to_do
!date 25/08/2022 -- 16/10/2022
%wnmelbourne