Une révision (2021) - full transcript

"After experience had taught me

"that the common occurrences
of ordinary life are vain and futile,

"I saw that all the objects
of my desire and fear

"were in themselves nothing good nor bad,

"save in so far as the mind
was affected by them.

"I at length determined to search out
whether there were not something

"truly good and communicable to man,

"by which his spirit might be affected
to the exclusion of all other things:

"through the discovery
and acquisition of which

I might enjoy continuous
and perfect joy forever."

I'm not sure I understand.



Start with what you understood.

Well, Spinoza is...

Nothing. I didn't understand any of it.

Me either.

Maude?

Spinoza is saying
we should change our lives.

All philosophers say that.

True.

Maybe his life was boring.

And he didn't have a cell phone.

Thank you.

It's normal to want to change your life.

That's what life is.

We experience things, explore,



see how far we can go.

Spinoza had a family too.

He had friends, a business with his dad.

His life wasn't boring.

But like everyone, he was dissatisfied.

He decided to change course.

He wanted a more authentic life.

More authentic? My life is my life.

Yes, but are you always you?

Who else would I be?

I don't know.

Maybe you do what others expect of you,

you're playing a part,

imitating others to be liked.

Maybe you feel
you can't ask certain questions.

It's not always easy to speak your mind.

Spinoza was excommunicated for that,

banned from his community for life.

He was kind of a ball-buster too.

Let's say he was ambitious.

"Continuous and perfect joy forever."

That's not nothing.

He couldn't be happy
with fame and fortune?

With a nice six-pack?

"Joy forever."

So he believed in immortality?

He means the more we understand things,

the more we exist.

What if we don't understand?

We search, like he did.

We don't give up.

We'll stop here for today.

Don't forget to read the preface
to Ethics Part III.

After 3 minutes,

you'll feel a strong urge
to go on Instagram or Facebook.

You must resist.

The essay was worth half your final grade.

The class average was 68%. Very good.

Camilla Jeanson. Maxime Tremblay.

Good job, Maxime.

Maude Bellavance.

Nacira Abdelli.

By the way, six-packs are douchey.

So I worked out for nothing?

Karim Nakache.

Coming?

A REVISION

WEAK ARGUMENTS

GOOD

REALLY?

Nacira, come in.

I don't get why this is crossed out.

Let's see.

Your essay started out well.

A nice quote from Aristotle:

"All men by nature desire to know."

Followed by...

a thorough analysis of Spinoza.

Then here...

you change tone.

"The present life is just a game,
a diversion, an attraction,

"a cause of boasting among you,
of rivalry in wealth and children.

"Like plants after the rain:

"their growth at first
delights the sowers,

"then you see them wither away
and become stubble.

"There is terrible punishment
in the next life as well

"as forgiveness and approval from God;

the life of this world
is only an illusory pleasure."

- It's...
- The Koran.

Yeah.

But in philosophy,

your arguments must be based on reason,

not religion.

Religion is based on faith, beliefs.

Beliefs can't be reasonable?

Good question.

It's a philosophical question.

Depends on how you arrive at your beliefs.

You gave me an F.

I could fail the semester.

- Couldn't you have...
- Passed you?

Grading is very difficult.

We have to be fair. The students trust us.

I could raise your grade
to make you happy.

Is that really what you want?

You don't need the instructions?

There are screws and holes.

I don't need a drawing.

There's different screws.

The holes are different too.

You're good.

I think like a Swede, that's all.

Dad?

If the Koran is the word of God,

why doesn't everyone accept it?

When you read the Koran,

it's clear, it's the truth.

But some people don't feel anything.

Yet it's the same text.

It's weird, no?

It's not weird.

Not everyone understands math
the same way.

Has it always been clear to you?

I'm just curious.

Not always.

Then I met your mother.

She told me I had to be patient,

keep the door open.

She read me her favorite suras.

Over time, the meaning becomes clear.

Things fall into place.

That's it.

Nothing can stop you
from becoming a pharmacist now.

Or a history teacher.

Or a history teacher.

But pills pay better than books.

Want to try it out?

Go on.

Hey!

Some detour.

I like running in this area.

The mountain is nice.

You're coming from the college?

I had some grading to do.

You're dedicated, huh?

I don't get it, Rachel.

We were good together. What happened?

You don't call anymore.

Did I do something wrong?

Étienne...

You're stressed.
Your defense is coming up.

You don't have time for me.

Just tell me! We don't have to break up.

I can hit pause for a while.

That's not how it works.

How does it work then?

You're not interested in my work.

The less I see you,
the more my thesis progresses.

Is that normal to you?

I want to stay in the field,
maybe go abroad.

Abroad?

To do research.

I want to teach at university.

Where? When?
With Victor?

Enough about Victor. It's ridiculous.

Teaching at university may be prestigious,

but between classes, conferences
and the pressure to publish,

you won't have a life.

Coming from you...

You really want to work your ass off

to become an expert in
a discipline that's microscopic and...

And?

- ...relatively...
- Just say it.

- Indigenous culture is important, but...
- There.

It's not a top priority
in the global economy.

Unless you sell dreamcatchers downtown.

You're so condescending.

Sorry.

I'm upset. I'm just babbling.

You know I...

I respect your work.

I respect you.

I don't want to lose you.

I want to give you this.

If you ever get
locked out of your place

or forget something at mine...

You're giving me a key now?

Come on, Étienne.

When I left my toothbrush at your place,

you were up all night feeling smothered.

YOUR SUCCESS GUARANTEED!

It's just a philosophy class.

Know how many students
are accepted in history at McGill?

60.

It's more competitive than medicine.

If I fail philosophy, I won't get in.

I can't fail.

Then why did you quote the Koran?

He said not to use religious texts.

You knew.

I answered the question.
I didn't want to write just anything.

No, you write what
the teacher wants to hear.

You gotta be strategic.

That's it. I'm not strategic.

You said we could
draw arguments from anywhere,

as long as they're relevant.

The Koran isn't relevant?

Come.

It's not that it's not relevant.

You can quote the Koran or Bible
to illustrate a point,

but not as a basis for an argument.
It proves nothing.

Spinoza's words prove something,
but God's words don't?

What tells you it's God's word?

The Prophet.

That story is 1,400 years old.

So? Plato is 2,000 years old.

Plato isn't about the story.

It's the arguments, the dialogue.

the exchange of reason.

Reason isn't infallible.

Philosophers make mistakes too.

Aristotle believed
women were deformed men.

Kant was racist.

You can be wrong too, no?

For sure.

See?

Yes, we make mistakes.

Then we explain and correct ourselves.

But how am I supposed to respond
to the Koran?

No need to respond.

Sometimes, we respond in other ways.

Through the soul, prayer.

It's complicated.

Indeed.

I don't agree that a passion
is a confused idea.

The more intense an emotion,
the more I listen to it.

Let's say you're shy.

Do you just keep to yourself?

I'm shy, but I still meet people.

Good! So you go out.

You meet a girl. The girl.

Suddenly, you feel like
dropping out of college

to spend 24 hours a day with her.
What do you do?

Well...

At least you're consistent.

For Spinoza, feeling something...

with great intensity

proves absolutely nothing.

Our emotions, our passions,

often lead us astray.

A romance can start out with fireworks,

then end in divorce.

Some people love gambling,
yet it ruins them.

It's the same with beliefs.

We can, with conviction,

adhere to nonsense, absurd superstitions.

Some people still think the earth is flat.

But seriously, are you saying

you think religious beliefs are absurd?

Not necessarily.

To Spinoza,

fervor, emotion...

personal convictions

are all confused states
proving absolutely nothing.

We can't take
the intensity of our beliefs

as a criteria for truth.

We can't rely on reason either.

I don't know. Pascal would agree with you.

- Pascal who?
- Jean Pascal.

The boxer?

Blaise Pascal, the philosopher.

"The heart has its reasons,
which reason does not know."

Reason doesn't prove God exists.
Common sense does.

What does it tell you?

That science explains everything.

I'm listening.

I'm not a scientist.

But it's clear to me.

If you asked more questions,

it might be less clear.

Like?

I don't know.

Why are we here? What's our purpose?

Is there life after death?

There's no life before birth
or after death.

We're just matter.

It's not that simple.

Look around.

Wars, poverty, disease...

You see God in that?

It's funny. I see God everywhere.

Even in you, Léo.

Don't let your imagination run wild, sis.

Thank you.

If Pascal says we can't rely on reason,

why can't I quote the Koran?

Because I set the grading criteria,
not Pascal.

And Pascal is a bad example
because he's dogmatic.

We can't just affirm something.

We have to present arguments
that are accepted by all.

All Muslims accept God's word.
Isn't that enough?

It's as if I lowered your grade

because you're a vegetarian, say,

or because you wear a headscarf
when most people don't.

What's your point?

It obviously wouldn't be right.

Sir!

I started your book.

It's really good.

Good! Glad I gave you an advance copy.

- You wrote a book?
- Yes.

This one.

The Importance of Not Being Insignificant.

"Insignificant" as in "stupid"?

No, as in blindly imitating others.

Right?

Yeah, more or less.

That's encouraging.

It just takes practice.

Sir!

I have a gift for you.

Yeah? Why?

Just 'cause.

It's me, as Superman?

Not Superman, Spinoza, your hero.

I see. He probably
wore a cape sometimes too.

Not sure it had an S on it...

It's great. Thank you, Maude.

You're welcome, Mr. Étienne.

Let's see his book.

THE COLLEGE IS YOUR HOME

IF YOU DON'T FEEL RESPECTED, REPORT IT!

Hi.

Hi. You have a meeting too?

They asked me to...

Sorry to keep you waiting. Come in.

Tea, anyone?

I'd love some.

No thanks.

You didn't say there'd be 3 of us.

I wanted your coordinator to be here

to avoid misunderstandings.

Anyway, the college's mission
is everyone's mission.

We had a visit from one of your students,

Nacira Abdelli.

You disagree about a grade?

Disagree?

The college wants us
to collaborate with students.

Ms. Abdelli feels
she was treated unfairly.

She said that?

She didn't have to.

So you guessed?

I read her paper.

It is nuanced.

She wrote her 900 words.

200 of which are from the Koran.

I grade everyone using the same criteria
outlined in the syllabus,

which I read in the first class.

We're not here to judge students,

but to guide them.

In theory, students can fail,

but our policy is to prevent that.

Nacira is worried.

She was emotional when she came to me.

She feels rejected by your attitude.

- Those are her words?
- They're mine.

It's not a rejection at all.
Quite the opposite.

I read her attentively.

Our rules state
you must show benevolence toward students.

I believe proper grading does that.

Students have the right

to request a revision with the committee.

It already ruled against you twice.

- Thanks.
- Careful, it's hot.

The first time,

because you wouldn't use
the reform manual in class.

Pop psychology isn't philosophy.

Then you publicly defended

Professor Gingras' ultranationalism.

No, I criticized him.

I wrote an article about it.

- I only defended his freedom of speech.
- It doesn't matter.

What matters is
they ruled against you twice.

A third time, and you'll be fired.

Excuse me?

It's the new policy.

We won't have a choice.

That's ridiculous.

I was hired to run a college,
not criticize its policies.

I'll have you know it's a complex job,

based on concrete realities.

And philosophy isn't?

We all have a job to do.

Then let me grade. That's my job.

Mine is to remind you the consensus here
is academic success.

It's even guaranteed!

Why not let the students grade themselves?

We're looking into it.

There's something else.

During a discussion with Ms. Abdelli,

it seems you mentioned her headscarf.

- What?
- Did you know SOS Intolerance

is seeking to ban certain philosophers?

- Which ones?
- I'd have to check.

I believe it was Nietzsche, Rousseau...

Plato, maybe.

Why?

Racism, cultural appropriation,

pedophilia.

It's madness!

I'll admit Plato is a shock.

I'm just trying to warn you.

Attacking a student's headscarf

will get you... get us in trouble.

This is crazy.

Consensus, SOS, cultural appropriation...

What about pedagogy?

Calm down. We're here to work together.

I used it as an example
of unacceptable behavior,

an example that might
resonate with her.

I wasn't attacking anything.

Nacira seemed to understand perfectly.

Maybe, but I find it ambiguous.

Why did you choose that example?

I'm not following you.

It was a poor choice.

Have you ever taught, ma'am?

I have great respect for your profession.

But where I come from,

we weren't encouraged
to hang around at university.

We do what we can.

I wouldn't trade places with anyone.

I think we're good here.

You're a smart guy.

You know what you have to do.

Jean, do you have anything to add?

A student complained.

They have to follow protocol.

That's the machine.

Yeah, but where's the love?

The love is your job. You're lucky.

I remember that each time
I enter my classroom,

especially these days.

Don't forget,

above principles, there's joy.

That's not from me. It's your Spinoza.

But in Jerusalem,

Spinoza would be stabbed a second time.

In Tehran, Giordano Bruno
would still be burned at the stake.

They'd stone Darwin
in half of American schools.

Easy. You live in Montreal.

Well, a Montreal college
is threatening to fire me.

Lambert just informed me
of the new policy.

If the committee rules against me again,

they'll show me the door.

The door, Jacques. Over a grade.

How am I supposed to teach

with the Sword of Damocles
hanging over my head?

I know, but...

You shouldn't take any risks, then.

If that means raising a grade, do it.

So I should toe the line?

Wanting to save your job isn't a weakness.

What matters most is your class,

teaching students new texts and ideas,

their faces lighting up,

the student at the back
finally asking a question.

The magic!

Don't give it up over something so stupid.

Stupid?

Are you kidding?

Your eyes used to well up when
you taught us about Kant's moral duty.

Are you sure that this is your duty?

Is your sense of duty
what's pushing you to act here?

What else would it be?

I don't know.

Our motives aren't always
as pure as we think.

Put things in perspective.

Look around.

Do you see a difference between those
who compromised and those who didn't?

Don't be a nihilist.

It might be over for them, but not for us.

You know what I mean.

Life is short.
We have to choose our battles.

By the way, I should probably
stop walking in a cemetery.

At my age, the gods might
mistake it for impatience.

Good morning.

What are you making?

Semolina for tonight's kesra.

Don't you have class?

Yes, I gotta go.

Thanks.

I left a list on the table.

You have to go to the store.

You're planning a feast?

It's May 20th.

I know.

I invited Maude. Is that OK?

Of course.

Why didn't you have another kid?

Your mother and I waited many years

for her to get pregnant.

Difficult years.

All our friends had kids, except for us.

It didn't seem fair.

We grew to accept it.

Then your mother got sick.

She had nausea and migraines.

We got worried and went to a doctor.

Then, thank God...

The nausea was you.

That's why you called me
"our little nausea."

"Our thunderbolt of nausea."

I miss her, Dad.

Come here, sweetie.

I miss her too.

She would have been so proud of you.

Let's dance.

Come on.

I'm not good.

Yes, you are. Like your mother.

There. A spin?

There! And back.

See? There's nothing to it.

There!

You're a natural.

No!

Yes. Come on!

My turn.

Again!

Rachel!

Do you have a class?

No, a meeting.

You don't seem stressed
about your defense.

I'm in denial.

It's that simple?

Works great.

Apart from the nausea, dizziness,

feeling of impending doom,

I'm good.

You're gonna be great.

I'd like to come. Can I?

You might get bored.
It's just anthropology.

Stop.

9:00, Sherbrooke Building.

- Looking forward to it.
- Sadist.

I heard you had a conflict
with Nacira Abdelli.

She's in my class too.

She told you about it?

I got the college memo.

Is quoting the Koran so bad, I mean...

Where did you get all those details?

They're not in the memo.

Nacira is a good student.

It seemed strange. I asked her.

Just like that?

So you're supervising me?

I'm not supervising you.

I care about my students.

I thought it might have been
a misunderstanding.

I don't think you're being fair.

The work is clear and well-argued.

Using a religious text.

- Maybe.
- No "maybe".

It's a fact, a rule. It's a class rule.

Those still exist, as far as I know.

Or maybe I just didn't get the memo.

Given the quality of the work,

it's obviously a misunderstanding.

I would have done differently in her case.

It's my class.

I'm still the best judge in her case.

Superman.

I know it's dangerous
and things can get heated.

But sometimes, we have no choice.

If we want things to change
on a social or even personal level,

we have to revolt, no?

I agree we need to act with determination.

Spinoza would say
the problem with revolt

is that it often stems from hate.

Hate stems from
a poor understanding of the causes.

Sorry to interrupt. Can I have a word?

I'm in class. I'll see you after.

Mr. Brasseur.

Excuse me.

See the line here?

That side is the kingdom
of appearances and rumors.

This is a space to share knowledge.

Are you here to share knowledge?

Knowledge is
on both sides of the line.

On that note, here's the new rulebook,

just so everything is clear.

We were saying it's always better
to try to understand.

Human beings are part of nature,
like everything else.

So everything they do, say or experience

has a cause it can be understood by.

To Spinoza, that's how we gain freedom.

Not by lamenting our fate,
attacking others

or trying to bend
the world to our will,

but by trying to understand it

and understand ourselves.

Well said!

Thanks, Karim.

That's it for today. Thank you.

Nacira, a word please?

Wait for me outside?

Do you feel I treated you unfairly?

Then why did you complain?

I didn't. I just described
our conversation like they asked.

I don't understand.

No, you don't.

You ask big questions
and expect serious answers,

but you won't let me talk about the Koran.

You can talk about anything you want.

My goal is to teach philosophy.

You're good at it, Nacira.

You take it seriously.
You're precise, honest.

Don't you ever doubt yourself?
Maybe you're the one who's lost.

Maybe you're just lying to yourself.

Know what they called me in high school?

They called me Saint Étienne.

They teased me because my dad
dragged me to church every Sunday.

I prayed, took communion,

did the sign of the cross when I had to.

But did I believe in God?

I thought so.
I just never really questioned it.

My beliefs weren't founded on anything.

They were more like vague emotions:

fear, respect, a feeling of mystery,

the need for reassurance, guidance.

So do I doubt myself?

Of course I do. Very often.

If you have doubts, change my grade.

Is something bothering you,
other than the grade?

- I don't understand.
- Something very personal.

This is very personal!

You're not gonna fail, I am.

There's my GPA,
my university applications.

And my faith,
you're not taking it seriously.

Of course he has doubts.
Everyone does.

Just not about his grading criteria.

Do you believe in God?

Yes.

I believe in something bigger than us.

A kind of higher power in the universe.

Can you prove it?

Not really.

Something would be lacking otherwise.

I don't get how people
can be indifferent.

If God exists, it changes everything.

Either you believe or you don't.

There's no in between.

A lot of people are in between.

I might be and not even realize it.

You just said you believed.

I know.

So?

I don't know, Nace.

If you insist,

I'd say there has to be something.

What's "something"?

Like I said before,
a higher power or something.

What do I know?

Who do I make it out to?

Paul, my son-in-law. It's his birthday.

It'll be good for him.

He'll probably try to shove it
in his Xbox,

but he'll get used to it.

- There.
- Thanks.

Thank you!

Decent turnout
for a little philosophy book.

You must be happy.

It's a ritual. People come,
but it doesn't mean much.

It means you published a book.
That's not nothing.

By the way, you haven't signed my copy.

I was a little bum before I met you.

For that, you deserve
a photo of the author thinking.

What an honor!

I can tell you had an outstanding teacher.

Yeah, and I never recovered.

Here.

Excuse me.

Thank you.

No thanks.

What's he doing here?

The illustrious anthropologist.

I guess he likes working overtime.

How are things with you two?

She left me.

Said she needed to find herself.

She couldn't do that with you?

Apparently not.

The more we search, the less we find.

I can tell her if you want.

Save some time.

Ciao!

Thanks. Bye, Jacques!

You don't shy away from controversy.

Étienne is reckless.
It's part of his charm.

So, supervising Rachel isn't too hard?

- Come on.
- He's right.

With such a brilliant student,

I'm kind of just pretending.

Hey...

The Importance of Not Being Insignificant.

Was that you or your editor?

It's much less enticing than

Prolegomena for an Inclusive Anthropology.

You read my book?

Rachel mentioned it.

Several times, right?

It's a very good book.

As I said, she's brilliant.

Victor's book just came out in paperback.

The first print run is sold out.

Unbelievable, huh? With that title.

Excuse me.

But seriously...

how does a philosopher
define "insignificant"?

Like the word says,

to have no significance, no meaning.

A lot of things lack meaning.

Does the universe have meaning? Does life?

We give life a meaning.

If we don't, someone else will.

Some would argue meaning
comes from God or the community,

something bigger than ourselves.

I agree. Shouldn't we
acknowledge our limits?

It's hard to define yourself,
your values.

I'm not saying values just appear.

But there's a difference

between having authentic values

and imitating those of others.

I agree.

But we always define ourselves
by imitating models.

In that sense,
and don't take this the wrong way,

isn't it a bit naïve
to aspire to authenticity?

I don't remember putting him on the list.

We had a meeting.
He wanted to come. I couldn't say no.

You missed my speech.

- But you haven't read my book.
- Étienne.

It doesn't matter, does it?

Public Zone expects you on set at 4:00.

The show starts at 5:00.

Gives you time for sound checks
and contract signing.

Great! Thanks.

Public Zone, huh?

It's a radio show.

I know it.

The show you deemed loud and vulgar?

I'm promoting my book.

I thought self-promotion was degrading.

It's not self-promotion.

It's OK, Étienne.

You want your book to sell. It's normal.

By the way, I read it.

So?

It's a nice book.

It's sincere, brave.

It'll resonate.

You can be harsh sometimes.

I don't write to please.

Sometimes, I feel like
you're trying to be provocative.

People are too easily offended.

You have to take risks.

Nowadays, people are so scared
to be on the wrong side.

Taking risks doesn't make you right.

At least I'm trying something.

Is that a dig at me?

Maybe you anthropologists
could use a little risky business?

You can't handle
Victor's success, can you?

Your "Wow! In paperback!"
did get to me a little.

I'm fed up.

Shit.

Wait! Don't move.

Lift your head.

More to the left.

What are you doing? I'm gonna drop this.

OK, you're good.

Looks amazing. What is it?

Shakshouka and my mom's chtitha.

Need anything?

I'm good, thanks.

Maude!

Dad?

Yes?

It's ready.

I'm coming.

Thank you. It's delicious.

Are you applying to history at McGill too?

No, literature at U of M.

Another millionaire in the making.

Stop! Who cares about money?

It's because I envy you.

Literature, history, philosophy...

That's great stuff!

Sign up for classes then!

That's not a bad idea.

Nacira is a natural in philosophy.

You're right to stand your ground.

The teacher says to think for yourself.

That's what you're doing.

Stand your ground?

A disagreement over an assignment.

It's nothing. It'll work itself out.

Nacira says you're an artist.

She's exaggerating.

I just draw a little.

It's beautiful.

I love the headscarf you wore today.

It was my mom's, her favorite.

Mine too.

It's crazy.
I feel like I could smell her today.

But that's impossible after 5 years.

It will never go away.

I still smell her everywhere.

You're here because of her, right?

Yes. She loved Montreal.

You mean she really loved Leonard Cohen.

Sometimes I wonder
if we're here because of him.

I bet he was in her prayers.

If you offer it to me, Maude,

I'll have it framed and hang it.

It's yours, Mehdi.

Thank you.

Thank you, really.

Thanks again. It's really good.

What's this about?

Have a seat.

Ms. Abdelli wants to
go before the committee.

A request for a formal revision.

Here.

We're going forward.

We'll convene next Friday.

Given the sensitive nature of the issue...

- Sensitive?
- Her headscarf, the Koran.

I'm sure you understand.

The college insists on total transparency.

The hearing will be public.

The committee will be
made up of Sylvie Lambert,

two outside professors and myself.

A student union rep will attend,

as well as Nicole Poirier
from Student Affairs.

Denis Caron from SOS Intolerance
also asked to be there.

The whole circus.

No, the school community.

Like society.

You could see this as an opportunity

to reflect on your methods.

You can see how a student might
feel rejected by a rationalist approach.

There are other sources of wisdom.

Confucius wasn't a philosopher.

Neither was the Buddha.

A student complains
she can't use religious texts,

and you instantly
want to change the program?

That's not what I said.

- You're such a pussy.
- Come on.

YOUR SYLLABUS IS OPEN FOR DISCUSSION.
SHARE YOUR OPINION.

I feel like we've discussed this.

I took the time to explain.

Aren't you taking this a bit far?

I can't just change a grade.

Yes, you can. You just don't want to.

You wouldn't even if everyone agreed.

What matters to me is integrity.

I have to be true to my class,
to my students,

true to myself.

And I'm trying to be true to my beliefs.

See you at the hearing.

Everything OK?

That's him.

Hello?

Hi. It's me.

Hi, Étienne.

Can I come in?

I wanted to apologize for yesterday.

It's not a good time.

Why? Is someone there?

I'm working.

Don't you have your radio interview?

I got you something.

I wanted to give it to you.

Sorry. That's nice, but not now.

I'll lose focus.

- OK.
- Thank you.

Well, good luck tomorrow.

It's a big deal.
I'm glad I can share it with you.

Gabrielle, you want the class
to be mandatory starting in the 5th grade?

Yes. It teaches kids about
women's oppression throughout history,

but also raises awareness about violence.

Let's hear from a politician.

Could that be legislated in the future?

I'd never stand in the way
of raising awareness about oppression.

Isn't 5th grade a bit early?

The earlier, the better.

It's a question of sexuality,

but sexual violence is also about power,

men's power over women.

Power is transmitted through words

in all subjects.

It all bears the mark of male dominance.

Étienne Brasseur, what do you think?

I agree.

We have to condemn all forms of violence.

I'm talking about violence against women.

I understand.

- It's its own category.
- Absolutely.

A serious issue.

Very serious.

We agree then.
I thought you were muddying the waters.

Not at all.

But there are other serious issues.

Society has a limited
capacity for outrage.

That's right.

In your book,
The Importance of Not Being Insignificant,

you condemn easy outrage,

which you call "ready-made morality."

Social morality didn't
wait for your book to...

Not at all.

I'm saying we shouldn't let
TV and social media choose our causes.

Can you elaborate?

Just like there are trends in fashion,

I believe there are also trends

in values and social issues.

We all want to have a unique outlook,

a personal opinion.

But we often end up following the herd
without realizing it,

almost automatically.

I call that "insignificance."

Your teacher is famous?

He wrote a book.

Media coverage doesn't
make a cause less important.

No, but it can take up too much space.

You want to discuss sexual violence.

I'm in favor of that.

Let's not forget other forms of violence.

Democracy needs vigilant citizens

applying their own judgement.

That's all I'm saying.

Jean-Louis Henri, have you read the book?

I applaud his intentions and audacity.

But let's just say...

the title, even, seems a little...

Insolent?

Enough about the title.
Have you read it?

What should we be outraged about?
Enlighten us.

Conformity, prefabricated judgements,
all forms of abuse,

of both the body and spirit.

One type of abuse
seems to bother you more than others.

All abuse bothers me.

But in intelligent dialogue,

we're constrained.

You're alluding to
the religious indoctrination of children.

You minimize women's issues,
attack religious minorities.

You lean pretty far to the right.

Borderline fascist.

You obviously haven't read my book.

I read it.

- The word "fascist" is a bit strong.
- Thank you.

But I'd have a hard time recommending it,
especially to young people.

I wrote it for them.

You call the family unit
an "intellectual prison."

That's your message to our youth?

That's out of context.

I wrote that by denying a child
a secular education,

they're denied literature,
science, history.

I believe that's like a prison.

You certainly think highly of yourself.

I don't assume my culture is superior.

Prison?

He's going a bit too far, no?

You're right to contest the grade.

He's intransigent and closed-minded.

He can be nice too.

Have you ever felt imprisoned here?

Of course not, Dad!

Your mother and I
always wanted the best for you.

That's why we came to Quebec.

It wasn't easy, you know.

I know.

You're still here?

I wanted to watch.

You're funny.

It bothers you?

What bothers me is being
called a fascist on live radio.

You don't look like a fascist to me.

What does a fascist look like?

I don't know.

They have little moustaches.

Thanks for coming. It's nice of you.

Have a good night!

My bus isn't for a while.

You going north?

Can't you take the metro?

You could drop me off on your way?

Fine. Hop in.

What's his name?

Camus. My ex's dog.

Camus?

The Stranger was his favorite book.

He ate it in one night.
Even got indigestion.

Bad dog!

Is it cool if I smoke?

Sure.

What are you doing?

What? It's legal.

I'm driving.

It's not legal while driving.

So obedient.

Yeah.

Actually...

Thanks.

Apparently...

the moon's distance from earth increases

at the same rate as our nails grow.

Oh yeah?

Yeah.

Think it's a coincidence?

What are you doing?

I don't know.

Just felt like kissing you.

Stop that.

Focus on the moon.

Yes!

This is good!

You know it?

Doesn't ring a bell.

Great song. Early 2000s.

It's about a girl
who dumps her boyfriend for cheating.

The girls gets another boyfriend.

He can't accept it.

Got it.

He goes high!

Fucking high!

The girl's about to sing.

That's my part. Check it out.

Fuck.

You OK?

Where does it hurt?

Where'd you come from? I didn't see you.

- Don't move.
- The driver was speeding.

He ran the stop sign.

Call 911.

- I don't know what happened.
- Is it bad?

Maude, get back in the car.

Get back in the car.

Are you OK?

There's Kleenex in the glove compartment.

I think my clavicle is broken.

Nothing's broken.

Don't worry. We're witnesses.

Fuck.

You OK?

When can I get out?

Depends on the investigator.

He'll go over your case.

He'll have questions.

What's he waiting for?

He gets here at 9:00.

Very busy.

You can't keep me till then.

...including...

the ravages caused by
the typhus and smallpox epidemics,

the Abenaki people have always faced
some form of existential threat.

I'm sorry, Ms. Perreault.

We'll have to start.

Mr. Étienne Brasseur,
you're appearing here today

to respond to the following charges:

criminal negligence
and driving under the influence.

The preservation
of their cultural heritage

in the face of an invasion
of new technologies

is one of the many challenges
the Abenaki community must contend with.

My thesis rests on the principle
that the question of identity

goes far beyond territory disputes
and socioeconomic issues.

I was driving slowly.

I went to turn,

and he came out of nowhere.

He ran the stop sign.

If he came out of nowhere,

how do you know he ran the stop sign?

I would have seen him otherwise.

As I said, I was driving very slowly.

Finally, are you saying

this traditional culture risks extinction?

Not necessarily.

Abenaki culture
has persisted to this day

because it's well rooted...

and its spirituality is closely aligned

with the community's practices
and existential needs.

Technology is a threat,

but it's not enough to replace
a vibrant culture.

It might just be a matter of time.

I believe it's imperative to act quickly

to safeguard the memory

of their unique
and irreplaceable world view.

I sentence you to a $1,000 fine

and 50 hours of community service.

Next case.

To convince me to take her on
as a doctoral student,

she left me a voicemail in Abenaki.

I didn't understand a word, of course.

A week later, she shows up at my office

to yell at me for not responding,

then to ask me to supervise her thesis.

What did the voicemail say anyway?

Which means?

"Pass the salt."

You're on your phone again?

You're a slave, you know,

like a hamster in a wheel.

You're up to 130,000 views, sir.

I think my clavicle is broken.

Nothing's broken.

Don't worry. We're witnesses.

I don't know what happened.

Is it bad?

That'll be all for today.

Are you actively trying
to harm the college's reputation?

Maude Bellavance will be questioned.

If there's even a whisper of impropriety,

don't count on the union to protect you.

I don't know what happened.

It is bad?

Maude, get back in the car.

There's Kleenex in the glove compartment.

The hearing is moved to tomorrow at 9:00.

The college wants things to go smoothly.

Mr. Brasseur's case will be heard quickly.

You've all been informed.

Of course, if you just changed the grade,

we could cancel the hearing.

Come on, Étienne.
Who cares about a few extra points?

You know what I think.

And I'm sure you're right.

I'd be betraying a part of myself
if I gave in.

So? Are we always obligated
to be true to ourselves?

Principles are a bit like belts:

they always end up being too tight.

I remember one case.

The circumstances were different,
but it got heated.

The student copied an entire page
from the textbook

and thought I wouldn't notice.

A good student.
I guess he really wanted the grade.

The case was clear-cut.

I was still brought in.

Hours of lecturing along the lines of:

"We're here to
make students love learning,

not discourage them."

They didn't threaten to fire me,

but it felt like it was coming.

What did you do?

I was less philosophical than you
or less principled.

I swallowed my pride and passed him.

7 years later, I get a letter.

It was full of enthusiasm
and gratitude for my class.

The student became a sociology professor.

What's the moral of the story?

We should pass students
in case they find their calling?

The moral is that life is unpredictable.

It's hard to know what path to take.

I can't make the decision for you,

but I can tell you one thing:

You're an excellent teacher,

and your head and heart
are in the right place.

And your greatest contribution to society

happens in class with your students.

Don't forget it.

APPEAL HEARING

REVISION COMMITTEE

The voicemail belonging to...

Rachel Perreault.

...is full.

PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT COORDINATOR

STUDENT UNION PRESIDENT

HEAD OF EDUCATION AND ACADEMIC
ACHIEVEMENT

STUDENT AFFAIRS

Thanks.

Ms. Abdelli is contesting the grade

given by her philosophy professor

for her May 10th essay,

asserting her right to a revision

according to clause 75.2
of the college rulebook.

Her reasoning is clear:

"Mr. Brasseur was wrong
to penalize me for my 3rd argument,

as he said we were not limited
to class materials."

The floor is yours.

Thank you.

The subject was:
"Can we be happy without illusion?"

Ms. Abdelli argued the negative
using Aristotle and Spinoza,

as well as the following text:

"The present life is just a game,
a diversion, an attraction,

"a cause of boasting among you,
of rivalry in wealth and children.

"Like plants after the rain:

"their growth at first
delights the sowers

"but then you see them wither away
and become stubble.

"There is terrible punishment
in the next life as well

"as forgiveness and approval from God;

the life of this world
is only an illusory pleasure."

She was penalized because
despite its poetic qualities,

this text doesn't hold an argument.

That's all.

Maybe not in the strictest sense,

but it presents an alternate worldview.

It's a different way to explore the topic.

Meaning?

Philosophy has always been
at war with faith.

I'm not at war with anyone.

Grading criteria shouldn't be
a tool for exclusion.

Is it our place to decide?

Judge people's beliefs?

The student believes her argument.
That's the goal.

The goal is that
professors teach students,

not vice versa.

I would find it unacceptable

for a professor to abuse his power

to push his atheism on students.

Or push himself
onto young female students.

Wouldn't be the first.

- Please.
- Seriously?

Enough.

This isn't the place, Ms. Poirier.

Mr. Brasseur, your role is not
to teach philosophy.

It's to teach through philosophy,

help students develop their identity
and collective consciousness.

I agree. And impart a sense of fairness.

I grade everyone carefully
using the same criteria.

I believe that's fundamental.

Stick to imparting skills.

That's what college is for.

That's what I do.

Philosophy helps us examine
pre-established notions.

Isn't that a good skill?

Galileo, after his trial,
couldn't help but say,

"And yet, it turns,"

referring to the earth,

which theologists believed was unmoving.

He wanted truth.

That's not why we're here.

You're not Galileo or Plato.

Philosophy is one of many disciplines,

and should be presented as such.

We all know the truth anyway.

Plato, Descartes, Spinoza,

it's all just white male imperialism.

That's why Mr. Brasseur rejects the Koran.
It strips his power.

At his age, I bashed the Boston Bruins,
not Western civilization.

See what I mean? Contempt!

Please. Enough.

Do you have anything to add?

Mr. Brasseur?

I'd like to hear from the student.

I'd like to hear her grievances.

The professor cannot
address the student directly.

Address the committee please.

Ms. Abdelli has already
faced enough pressure.

Let's not add more.

I don't understand why we're here, Nacira.

Everyone understands why we're here.

It's up to the professor,
not the student, to defend themself.

Tell us about your class, Étienne:

objectives, evaluations,
grading criteria.

My objective is to teach philosophy.

That's enough.

They can refuse and still live well.

But if they accept...

I think it can enrich their lives,

bring them freedom.
Right, Nacira?

To the committee,
or we'll have to side with the student,

which, I'll remind you,
will get you fired.

I want to hear her complaints.

We all know what she's accusing you of.

You penalized her unfairly.

- She's too smart for that.
- Too bad. It's clear to me.

- Final warning.
- Explain it.

- I have no choice.
- It was intentional.

I quoted the Koran intentionally.
I knew the criteria.

I knew Mr. Brasseur would penalize me.

That doesn't mean he was justified.

- He should have...
- Wait.

Are you saying we're all here

because you wanted
to provoke your professor?

No.

Maybe. I needed to speak.

I needed to be spoken to, honestly.

Not just to have my beliefs respected.

I don't understand.

You don't want respect?

Not the kind of respect I see here.

It's not respect. It's denial.

I prefer confrontation, honesty.

Your respect is hypocrisy.

You just want to avoid a scandal
over my headscarf.

Mr. Brasseur doesn't care
about my headscarf or my beliefs.

He thinks faith is an illusion,
a way of lying to ourselves.

I didn't say that.
I want to believe.

I want him to be wrong.

But I don't know. It's important.

- What?
- What's important?

Truth.

Truth is important.

You think your professor holds the truth?

No.

He's searching too.

Then you're admitting your
request for revision is unfounded

and Mr. Brasseur gave you
the grade you deserve.

If it wasn't provocation...

what was it?

I wanted him to find it relevant,
to acknowledge...

It is relevant.

- Acknowledge what?
- I don't know.

That I have the right
to talk about the Koran,

to have beliefs,
that philosophy isn't enough.

That is your right.

But it's more than that.

I wanted him to tell me
I'm right to believe,

that it's good.

I wanted to convince him.

Everyone has a right to their beliefs.
Mr. Brasseur too.

Why convince him of yours?

Because it's serious.

Beliefs aren't a matter of taste.

When we believe in something,
we want others to believe too.

I understand that in an ideal world,
everyone would agree.

But for now,
isn't it enough that you believe?

- You don't understand.
- The student's motives don't matter.

I'd like to know what they are.

Why convince your professor too?

You're here to succeed, get a diploma.

Isn't the goal to pass the class?

Why do you need validation
from Mr. Brasseur?

- Because.
- Because what?

You're off-topic.

Ms. Abdelli, you owe us an answer.

You owe yourself an answer.

Sylvie.

Because you wanted to convince yourself?

Is that it?

Come.

I'm sorry, Dad. I didn't want to hurt you.

Faith is important, Nacira.

So is courage.

You think, at your age,
I had the courage to question it?

I'm proud of you.

Truly.

Next time, you can talk to me.

I haven't read Spinoza,
but I'm not an idiot.

You're not an idiot.

Despite Ms. Abdelli's hasty departure,

the committee has what it needs.

We've deliberated and reached a decision.

We believe Mr. Brasseur
acted in good faith,

out of a concern for fairness,

and that he graded the essay
according to established criteria.

However, fairness isn't everything.

You had in front of you
a bright, sensitive student

in obvious distress

who was contesting her grade
in a cry for help.

A professor in your position
should have listened

and shown a bit more understanding.

From an educational standpoint,

your restrictions concerning
admissible texts are exaggerated,

incompatible with the fundamental right
to freedom of thought

and the college's commitment
to open-mindedness.

Therefore, the committee
sides with Nacira Abdelli

and raises her grade from 50% to 80%.

Mr. Brasseur,
administrative procedures will follow.

Thank you all.

Session closed.

Total bullshit.

I'm sorry, sir.

Maude, is your eye OK?

Yeah.

You were right.

You should go to the union.

Philosophy might be over.

When we stop distinguishing
between rumor and reality,

when all that matters
is appearances, success,

it might be time to move on.

It won't go unnoticed.

Don't worry.
Your students know the difference.

Thank you for coming.

It's really nice to see you, Rachel.

As of now, it's Dr. Perreault to you.

Here.

I wanted to give you this.

I have a little present for you, doctor.

A dreamcatcher.

Where'd you get this?

A souvenir shop downtown.

Oh yeah.

It clearly didn't work for me.

I think you choose
how you react to things.

We can't laugh about it?

No, we have to be careful.

Léo!

You're pushing it.

It's 12-8?

- Come on!
- I broke one.

It's not a school, it's a mall.

I'm not running. I'm not late.

Hi, everyone!

I'm Yannick Langevin.

I'll be your teacher
till the end of the semester.

I'm happy to be here.

I think we can do a lot together.

Don't worry. I won't bore you
with a bunch of old texts.

I want to hear your ideas,
your dreams, your goals.

I'm here to listen.

Her loss. She'll miss out on my jokes.

Not that I prepared any.

I'm sorry.

I didn't know they'd do that.

Is that Superman?

Spinoza.

Can you give me a hand?

Don't you have class?

Not really.

What will you do now?

I don't know.

What would Spinoza do?

He'd look for a job.

I'll miss our discussions.

Me too.

Even though you ask difficult questions.

"All things excellent are
as difficult as they are rare."

For sure.