A man of Algerian origin is hired in a Québec school as a substitute teacher. Beyond the culture shock of meeting with the sixth grade students, he is confronted to a violent event he recently went through. Busy with the rebuilding of his personality, he suffers the injustice and incomprehension of the school authorities. A gentle and humorous ode to courage and survival.

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[BASHIR, to the Principal]] Alice Lecuyer's work seemed essential to a particular lesson. I paid for the photocopying, I sent it under my own name, I don't know what rule I disobeyed, my letter wasn't official school mail, but a way to communicate with my students' parents… »

« In the wake of Barack Obama’s historic Presidential win, there has been a lot of talk about a new "post-racial" or "post-ethnic" world. While this type of buzz-speak is always rather vague, I took it to mean that it’s time to start looking at the actual individuals behind catch-all categories like race and immigration. | It is interesting that this same week saw the premier of Tarragon Theatre’s Bashir Lazhar. Although it cuts across topics of immigration, violence, childhood and teaching, it is ultimately a portrait of one, complicated man who both embodies and transcends the grand ideas. It is an audacious play, covering vast amounts of territory for a one-person, 80 minute show. » Cylla Von Tiedemann, Blog TO, Toronto, November 7, 2008