Nils Malmros remembers and this is the subject of his dramatic and humorous film, Tree of Knowledge. The episodic film is based on his own school days in Aarhus in the 1950s. And the picture of the period, the dialogue and the children's performances are surprisingly genuine, showing sympathetic insight.
The film follows the pupils of a school class over two years, when they are 14 to 16 years old. We see them at school parties and camps and learn how the natural, social hierarchy in the class works. It is often funny, but also painful.
Unspoken drama
Elin is very mature. This makes her attractive to the boys and vulnerable to insults and jealousy. Bullying ruins her school days. The other pupils whisper behind her back, she is called names and frozen out (see clip). Cliques are formed, intrigues are hatched, and an unspoken drama forgotten by many adults unfolds among the children. Often the children hurt each other unknowingly. It is not until the end of the film - when the children are well on their way to adulthood - that they realise what in fact happened and how they treated Elin.
The film was shot over two years and the actual physical and mental development of the actors is thus reflected in the development of the characters on the screen.
Straightforward and harsh
Tree of Knowledge came after Nils Malmros's first two highly praised films about schoolchildren, Lars Ole, Class 5c (Lars Ole 5c) and Boys (Drenge). Nils Malmros is working on a successor to Tree of Knowledge. Due for release in 2009, the new film follows the same characters during upper secondary school. The title will be Love Trouble (Kaerestesorger). Tree of Knowledge can be seen by older children and adolescents but some of the scenes are shockingly straightforward and harsh.
Nils Malmros primarily makes films about children, not for children. But he identifies himself with the children and enters into their special world. So it is not hard to recognise yourself in some of his characters.
Christian Monggaard is a film reviewer and critic for the daily newspaper Information.
Lars Hjort Frederiksen and Eva Gram Scholdager i Tree of Knowledge. Photo: Torben Stroyer © Nordisk Film.