Fuoriclasse

Fuoriclasse is an Italian television series directed by Riccardo Donna and Tiziana Aristarco. It is loosely based on several works by Domenico Starnone and stars Luciana Littizzetto as teacher Isa Passamaglia. The plot of the series is similar to that the film La scuola, for which the script was also written by Starnone.

Plot and themes

The story centers on a high school in Turin, the Liceo Scientifico Caravaggio, focusing on a freshman class and a senior class. Most of the teachers in the series are portrayed as fairly compassionate, while others are more strict. The main character is Isa Passamaglia - a Latin and Italian literature teacher, and single mother of a teenage son with whom she has a strained relationship. The series also deals with personal hardships faced by Passamaglia's colleagues and her students.
The series proved to be a huge success in Italy thanks to its realistic depiction of the issues Italian students and teachers often face - such as fears that their high school may face closure due to a lack of public funding — a plausible scenario during the economic crisis. Rivalries between teachers as well as misunderstandings between them and the school headmaster are also heavily featured. Further themes include blended families, late pregnancy, juggling family life and work life, sexual orientation, parent-child relationship, and first loves.