Lesson Learned (Fekete pont) is a bold and emotionally charged debut feature by Hungarian director Bálint Szimler, offering a piercing critique of the country’s rigid and outdated education system. Premiering at the 2024 Locarno Film Festival in the Cineasti del Presente competition, the film follows two quietly rebellious figures: ten-year-old Palkó, recently relocated from Germany and struggling to adapt to the authoritarian rules of his new school, and Juci, a young literature teacher determined to challenge the system from within.

Through a masterful blend of docufiction and psychological realism, Szimler immerses viewers in a claustrophobic school environment where discipline overrides empathy and conformity stifles individuality. Palkó’s silent resistance and Juci’s compassionate teaching methods form the emotional core of the film, revealing how both children and educators are trapped in a system that resists change.

Shot with intimate close-ups and naturalistic performances—many by non-professional actors—Lesson Learned captures the broader societal tensions of contemporary Hungary, from bureaucratic dysfunction to nationalist undertones. With cinematography by Marcell Rév and a haunting score by Dorka Lajhó and Péter Sabák, the film is both a personal story and a universal call for educational reform.

Winner of multiple international awards, including Best Film Debut at Days of European Film and the Golden Tulip at the Istanbul Film Festival, Lesson Learned is a compelling portrait of resistance, empathy, and the urgent need to listen to the voices of those most often ignored.