The Student (Russian: Ученик, translit. Uchenik) is a 2016 Russian drama film directed by Kirill Serebrennikov. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival where it won the François Chalais Prize.
The plot revolves around a young man who has become a religious fanatic whose behavior gradually has an impact on his environment and the whole school which eventually leads to disaster.
A high school student becomes convinced that the world is lost to evil and begins to challenge the morals and beliefs of the adults surrounding him.
Veniamin, a teenager in the midst of a mystical crisis, has his mother, schoolmates and entire high school turned upside down by his questions.
- Can girls go to their swimming classes in bikinis?
- Does sex education have a place in school?
- Should the theory of evolution be taught as part of the Natural Sciences?
The adults are soon overwhelmed by the certitudes of the youngster who swears only by Scripture. No one but Elena, his biology teacher, will alone challenge him on his own ground.
Directed by: Kirill Serebrennikov
Written by: Kirill Serebrennikov
Starring: Pyotr Skvortsov, Viktoriya Isakova, Aleksandr Gorchilin, Yuliya Aug
Initial release: September 16, 2016 (Estonia)
