The Student
A Russian school drama follows a Bible-obsessed teenager whose newfound certainty turns religious conviction into a campaign of intimidation.
Overview
A chilling exploration of faith and authority unfolds in a high school setting, where one student's beliefs challenge the entire community.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- confrontational
- foreboding
- oppressive
- serious discussion night
- arthouse cinema night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as visually arresting, thought-provoking, and fearlessly confrontational in its treatment of religious extremism and difficult social themes.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Veniamin uses literal Bible study and religious exemptions to manipulate teachers, administrators, and classmates.
The initial dispute over swimming lessons expands into threats against a teacher and coercion of the wider school community.
The school setting and classroom confrontations are presented with visually arresting, staged intensity rather than naturalistic understatement.
Veniamin gains confidence because school authorities accommodate his claims, enabling his dogma to spread.
Films like The Student, and why
Doubt
confrontational social drama examining religious authority, extremism, and institutional power
The Wave
provocative school-based drama centered on ideology, authority, and escalating moral conflict
The Sacrament
bleakly comic and psychologically intense critique of religious fanaticism and social conformity
Dogville
politically charged drama using heightened style to interrogate belief, power, and manipulation
Movie Details
- Director
- Kirill Serebrennikov
- Release Date
- 2016-04-12
- Runtime
- 118 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (172)
Cast
- Petr Skvortsov
- Yuliya Aug
- Viktoriya Isakova
- Anton Vasilyev
- Aleksandr Gorchilin
- Aleksandra Revenko
- Svetlana Bragarnik
- Nikolai Roshchin
- Irina Rudnitskaya
- Marina Kleshchyova
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- OVID, Klassiki
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Student about?
- A Russian school drama follows a Bible-obsessed teenager whose newfound certainty turns religious conviction into a campaign of intimidation.
- What is The Student like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Student as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Student violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Student as mild.
- What did critics think of The Student?
- Critics broadly praised the film as visually arresting, thought-provoking, and fearlessly confrontational in its treatment of religious extremism and difficult social themes.
- Which films are like The Student?
- Films with a similar feel include Doubt, The Wave, The Sacrament, and Dogville.
- How long is The Student?
- The Student runs 118 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Student?
- In United States, The Student streams on OVID, Klassiki.
