The Substitute

73-year-old Folke Silvén, a legend in Swedish education circles, one day sets off on a trip to Stockholm to visit his former pupil and now colleague Max Wejstorp. The representative of the “old school” and holder of the world record for talking backwards is asked for assistance from the ambitious young man, who naturally lacks his teacher’s experience and is having a tough time with problem students at the Hallenberg school. Folke also meets children from immigrant families who are constantly faced with the threat of deportation. The two talented Swedish directors prove that drama and tension are not necessarily exclusive ingredients of feature film. The documentary film offers a fascinating spectacle, describing the clash of tradition with the modern approach, and the cultural duel between old and new Sweden.