Teaching through the seventh art: students, classrooms, and teachers on screen

The “Cine y Pediatría” project, established in 2010, advocates for the use of film as a fundamental tool for teaching and humanizing clinical practice. This article compiles and analyzes an extensive selection of films centered on the educational ecosystem, exploring the relationship between teacher, student, and classroom as a microcosm of society.

The study classifies cinematic production into three main geographical axes. United States cinema, characterized by epic and individualistic narratives where charismatic teachers act as agents of redemption within contexts of social conflict. French cinema, adopting a realistic and choral tone to analyze the school as a complex institution facing cultural diversity and structural inequalities. Spanish cinema, where the classroom serves as a space shaped by historical memory and generational tensions.Films from many other countries are also analyzed.

Through iconic works such as Dead Poets Society, Les Choristes, La lengua de las mariposas, and Goodbye, Mr. Chips, the article highlights cinema's role in visualizing student vulnerability and the teacher's capacity as a catalyst for resilience. It concludes that the seventh art is an invaluable therapeutic and pedagogical tool for pediatricians, allowing for deep reflection on emotional influence in younger generations and the defense of children's rights in the face of adversity.