The First Class

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

NYC PREMIERE. Crosstown High in Memphis, Tennessee, is a part of a national movement aimed at redefining the future of learning in the U.S. Lee Hirsch’s closely observed verité film immerses viewers into the lives of the school’s very first students and teachers as it opens its doors, attempting to break the mold in a city craving change. With every laugh, lesson, and struggle, we witness these curious learners evolve from anxious ninth graders to proud graduates, with ambitions as boundless as their projects – from dreaming up life on Mars to empathizing with refugees. The story of Crosstown’s founding class, full of humor and emotion, gives voice to the beauty and value of high school—and the possibility of what high school can be for students everywhere.
 
The screening will be followed by an on-stage conversation with filmmakers Lee Hirsch and Robert Fernandez.

Screening as part of DOC NYC Selects Winter 2024

• Country USA
• Running Time 96 minutes
• Format DCP
• Distributor DOC NYC Selects
• Director Lee Hirsch
• Accessibility Assistive Listening, T-Coil

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.