David MacDougall is often found working on multiple layers in his films, and this close-in portrait of a British-style prep school set in India is no exception. While it is largely an observational film, interaction with the camera, and by extension, the viewer, is not ruled out. This somewhat strained dialectic is an area that MacDougall has explored throughout his career, whether by inclusion, exclusion, or something in between. His use of still images, in addition to the intertitles which break the piece into ten parts, lends a formality that is well in keeping with the staid and laced-up topic at hand. By focusing on an elite, albeit one in the making, MacDougall is breaking ground through his choice of subject matter as well. As in all his work, however, the human spirit bursts through at the most opportune moments.-Thor Anderson