Films
Comparison route: /completedfilms-fixed
Trailer
Synopsis
Outskirts of Buenos Aires, nowadays. Lucio, a prestigious university professor, takes the position of substitute teacher at a high school in the suburbs of Buenos Aires, where he grew up. Through tales, novels and poetry, he tries to distract his class from the harsh reality of their everyday lives. But soon, he must step out of his professional duties when Dylan, one of his students, is threatened by a local drug kingpin.
- Screenplay:
- Diego Lerman, Maria Meira, Luciana de Mello
- Cinematography:
- Wojciech Staron
- Sound:
- Lena Esquenazi, Leandro de Loredo
- Edit:
- Alejandro Brodersohn
- Music:
- José Villalobos
- Cast:
- Juan Minujín, Bárbara Lennie, Alfredo Castro
- Production Company:
- Campo Cine, Arcadia Motion Pictures, Vivo film, Pimienta Films, Bord Cadre films, Sovereign Films
Gallery
Director's statement
When I made "The Substitute", I wanted to explore education as a frontline of social conflict. The film follows a university professor who takes a temporary job in a marginalized neighborhood and becomes entangled in the lives of his students. I was interested in how intellectual ideals confront harsh realities—poverty, violence, and systemic neglect. The classroom becomes a fragile space of possibility, where dialogue competes with survival. **The film ultimately suggests** that teaching is not neutral; it is a political and ethical act, and true engagement demands personal risk.