page_title: Monsieur Lazhar
section_title: Production
hierarchical_section_title: Monsieur Lazhar / Production
caption_attribution_description: Français&#160;: Mohamed Fellag lors de l'avant-première de Monsieur Lazhar à Genève en 2012. English: Mohamed Fellag during the premiere of Monsieur Lazhar in Geneva in 2012.
context_page_description: Monsieur Lazhar is a 2011 Canadian French-language drama film directed by Philippe Falardeau and starring Mohamed Saïd Fellag, Sophie Nélisse and Danielle Proulx. Based on Bashir Lazhar, a one-character play by Évelyne de la Chenelière, it tells the story of an Algerian refugee in Montreal who steps in to teach at an elementary school after the former full-time teacher commits suicide.
  Falardeau opted to film the story for the Canadian company micro_scope, despite the challenges of adapting a play with only one character. De la Cheneliere advised Falardeau and recommended casting Algerian comedian Fellag. It was filmed in Montreal.
  After premiering at the Locarno International Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award and the Variety Piazza Grande Award, it received critical acclaim. The film was subsequently nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Academy Awards, and also won six Genie Awards, including Best Motion Picture.
context_section_description: The source material Bachir Lazhar is a one-character play, making it a challenge to adapt for the screen. However, producers Luc Dery and Kim McCraw attended a performance with director Philippe Falardeau, and Falardeau expressed excitement about making a film version. Bachir Lazhar author Évelyne de la Chenelière suggested Falardeau cast comedian Mohamed Fellag as the protagonist, and Falardeau learned how to contact Fellag by researching the comedian's YouTube videos. Falardeau said he continuously consulted de la Cheneliere, allowing her to review screenplay drafts.
  It was shot in Le Plateau-Mont-Royal, Montreal. There were 28 days of shooting, about an average time for a film to be shot in Quebec. The principal filming occurred in the summer so the production could use the school and so the educations of the child actors were not disrupted. Four of the shooting days occurred in the winter. Child actress Sophie Nélisse turned 10 shortly before shooting began.
caption: Algerian comedian Mohamed Fellag starred as Lazhar.
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