The Graduation

Claire Simon follows the competition in one of the most prestigious art school in the world.
Universal and powerful, the film shows how being good is never enough.

Claire Simon has been selected three times in Cannes (including twice at Directors’ Fortnight in 2006 and 2008 with On Fire and God’s Offices) and was recently competing in Locarno with Gare du Nord.
With THE GRADUATION, the director delves into the daily life of the Parisian cinema school, la Fémis, where a specific Republican ideal applies and entry into which can be summed up as follows: « everyone’s equal, but only the best gets in… »
Through the admission process, the hard work all year and the graduation exams, THE GRADUATION establishes a portrait of our relationship to excellency in Art, showing how a profession chooses its inheritors. But every jury doubts and question itself…
In a place of culture where generations intermingle, how do professionals determine who gets in and who doesn’t?