WATCH: In the era of “Don’t Say Gay”, this film about a teacher outed by angry parents feels more relevant than ever

As the “Don’t Say Gay” agenda finds its way from Florida to schools all across the country and a certain TikToker who shall not be named continues to dox teachers, it can feel like an especially precarious time to be out and queer in education.

That makes the story at the heart of the upcoming Argentinian film The Teacher all the more urgent.

In the small, sleepy town of Ucacha—located in central Argentina—Natalio (Diego Velázquez) is passionate about his job teaching elementary school students, beloved by the kids and their parents alike.

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But, one day, he gets a call from his old friend, Juani (Ezequiel Tronconi), in desperate need of somewhere to stay. The two have some history, and Natalio—clearly still harboring feelings—finds it impossible to say no.

At first, Natalio maintains that he’s just doing a friend a favor. However, the more they’re seen together in public, the more the rumors start to fly, especially as the gregarious Juani can’t help but flirt with most men and women he comes into contact with.

Soon, the gossip is all over town, and parents are beginning to complain to the school’s principal about Natalio’s “new friend” and their behavior in public. With his livelihood on the line, Natalio is faced with some tough decisions and worries about letting down the impressionable young minds who look up to him.

The Teacher was co-directed by Julian Dabien and Cristina Tamagnini, and was written by Tamagnini, inspired by a story very close to her own heart:

“Between the years 2000-2001 the teacher, Eric Sattler, had to leave the town where he lived and worked all his life as a result of complaints that the parents of his students took to the [principal,]” she shares in a press statement. “They did not view it favorably that the teacher openly showed his relationship with another man in the town.”

Related:

A teacher was fired for helping a bullied, queer teen. Now his students are raising hell.

“Make no mistake this is an act of homophobia and needs he needs to be re instated right away.”

As it turns out, Eric was Tamagnini’s own teacher in elementary school, and she remembers him as a “very valuable” part of the culture of her small town of Ucacha.

As she grew up and pursued filmmaker, she never forgot Eric’s story. In 2010, Tamagnini reunited with her oId teacher and sat down for a series of extensive, candid interviews, which eventually inspired the script for what became The Teacher.

Though Mr. Sattler sadly passed in January 2019 before he had the chance to see the film, Tamagini hopes it stands as a testament to a great man who really made a difference—and a love letter to teachers everywhere.

Known as “El Maestro” in its native Argentina, the film actually premiered way back in 2020, but—as is often the case with independent, international cinema—is only just now making its way to the States, but its release couldn’t feel more timely.

The Teacher will be available to rent and stream via Amazon Prime Video, Vimeo On Demand, and Peccadillo Pictures On Demand beginning March 11. You can watch the brand-new trailer for the film below:

Related:

Teacher fired after talking to high school class about gay bears

Telling kids that big, hairy gay men often identify as “bears” was evidently too much for some parents.