Young Plato

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2:23

Young Plato

2022

1h 42m

Documentary

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17 Reviews

100%

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

An inspiring documentary from the filmmakers of School Life, YOUNG PLATO charts the dream of Elvis-loving school headmaster Kevin McArevey -- a maverick who is determined to change the fortunes of an inner-city community plagued by urban decay, sectarian aggression, poverty and drugs. The all-boys primary school in post-conflict Belfast, Northern Ireland, becomes a hot house for questioning violence, as the headmaster sends his young wards home each day armed with the wisdom of the ancient Greek philosophers. The boys challenge their parents and neighbors to forsake the prejudice that has kept this low-level civil war on the boil for decades. YOUNG PLATO hums with the confidence of youth, a tribute to the power of the possible.

Tim Cogshell

FilmWeek (LAist)

Oct 14, 2022

This is just wonderful... I love this movie.

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Michael O'Sullivan

Washington Post

Sep 28, 2022

3/4

“Young Plato” is a fascinating, sometimes funny and often touching film. It’s easy to see why the directors were drawn to McArevey and his school.

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

Mar 8, 2022

4/5

A very engaging film.

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Ally Ham

Video Librarian Magazine

Aug 6, 2024

Set in the Ardoyne district in Belfast, Northern Ireland against the historical backdrop of the 2001 Holy Cross dispute... Young Plato grounds us in this tense sociopolitical context, peeling back the layers of hate and prejudice these boys face every day

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Tina Kakadelis

Beyond the Cinerama Dome

Jul 24, 2023

Young Plato isn’t flashy. There are no fanciful edits or infographics to get the point across. In many ways, the documentary mirrors its main subject. “It’s caring philosophy. Everyone’s opinion matters,” Principal McArevey tries to drive home.

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Al Alexander

The Patriot Ledger

Nov 15, 2022

A-

I’m no doctor, but allow me to prescribe “Young Plato” as a potential cure for what ails our increasingly fractured society.

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Barbara W

@RT00830980 Apr 24, 2024

Viewed the DVD from our public library. Very engaging, feels more like a drama than a doc. I would hope educators of young children everywhere could see it.

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May 4, 2022

great to see the work all the teachers did with the boys. Very engaging film.

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Mar 30, 2022

Young Plato is a completely engrossing film. The boys school featured is in an area which has suffered more than it's fair share of violent conflict. The film focuses on the challenges of running such an inner-city boys school. The school has a framework for teaching the boys how to avoid conflict, and how to de-escalate situations which may lead to conflict. The methods used would seem to be applicable in any school. A very human and insightful film.

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Neasa Ní Chianáin

Director

Declan McGrath

Director

Kevin McArevey

Self

Jan-Marie Reel

Self

Etienne Essery

Writer

David Rane

Producer

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Synopsis

An inspiring documentary from the filmmakers of School Life, YOUNG PLATO charts the dream of Elvis-loving school headmaster Kevin McArevey -- a maverick who is determined to change the fortunes of an inner-city community plagued by urban decay, sectarian aggression, poverty and drugs. The all-boys primary school in post-conflict Belfast, Northern Ireland, becomes a hot house for questioning violence, as the headmaster sends his young wards home each day armed with the wisdom of the ancient Greek philosophers. The boys challenge their parents and neighbors to forsake the prejudice that has kept this low-level civil war on the boil for decades. YOUNG PLATO hums with the confidence of youth, a tribute to the power of the possible.

Director: Neasa Ní Chianáin, Declan McGrath
Producer: David Rane
Screenwriter: Etienne Essery
Distributor: Soilsiú Films
Production Co: Soilsiú Films, Aisling Productions, Zadig Productions
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 23, 2022, Limited
Runtime: 1h 42m

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