Lessons from a Calf
(Mou hitotsu no kyouiku - Ina shogakkou haru gumi no kiroku)

In a small rural school in Japan, the schoolchildren follow a rather unusual one-year curriculum. On starting the new school year, they welcome Laura, a young calf lent by a neighbouring farm. Guided by the farmers and their teacher, they raise the animal together. All of the teaching, from maths to music lessons, is based on this experience. There are even some unexpected lessons… With this debut film, Kore-eda (Palme d’Or 2018 for Une Affaire de famille) sets out to meet the children, Laura and their shared existence. Following the ramifications of this experimental programme, the filmmaker finds the material for a moral tale and a bitter-sweet meditation on the fleeting nature of childhood. FM