The Penguin Lessons
Written By: Margaux Fortier
The Penguin Lessons tells the tale of Tom Michell, an English teacher relocating to a boys school in Argentina and gaining more than he could have imagined. Premiering at Toronto International Film Festival 2024, this film has heart and an endearing spirit while also shedding light on a pocket of history that many are probably unaware of in 1970s Argentina.
Image Courtesy of TIFF
Led by Steve Coogan and supported by an excellent cast including Jonathan Pryce and a small flightless bird, Tom Michell travels to Argentina following a tragedy in his family and some failed teaching posts around the world. When the small penguin comes into his life by chance, he must not only care for the bird but allow himself to open up to be cared for by his new community as well. The world he is entering is tumultuous and unsettled and he must navigate how he can do some good within the walls of the school building and the city outside the gate.
Based on true events in the memoir by Michell, Argentina in the 1970s was not a comfortable place for many. As fascism was looming over a vibrant Buenos Aires, imprisonment and intimidation were daily pressures on the lives of residents and rebellion was always close by. At the heart of the conflict in this film is a divide between students with families on both sides and the growing relationship between other employees of the school and Michell himself. The aging housekeeper of the dorms and her granddaughter represent the differing sides of locals as well. There is a want to stay under the radar to avoid arrest or trouble but also a drive to fight back and reclaim their space in the community.
Steve Coogan embodies the real life teacher who brought life to his classroom and students, as well as back into himself. At the beginning, he is uninspired and needs to find his voice to participate in the world around him and to stand up for what he thinks is right. The penguin, while serving as a great source of levity and humor in the story, also opens the eyes of everyone around him as an unlikely companion and teacher in his own right. This dramedy by Peter Cattaneo will touch your heart and help you realize that small moments can lead to big changes in all our lives.
Trailer available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A_C3MT3uyA
Image Courtesy of TIFF
