Directed by Neasa Ní Chianáin & Declan McGrath

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 thinking and questioning, as the headmaster encourages the children to see beyond the boundaries and limitations of their community, and sends his young wards home each day armed with the wisdom of the ancient Greek philosophers. The boys challenge their school-friends, parents and neighbors to find alternatives to violence and prejudice, and to challenge the mythologies of war. YOUNG PLATO is full of humour and shines a positive light on contemporary Northern Ireland, offering a model for building a culture of peace in these troubling times.

“BY THE TIME MCAREVEY DRIVES HOME FROM WORK TO THE SOUNDS OF PRESLEY’S ‘IF I CAN DREAM’ THERE IS UNLIKELY TO BE A DRY EYE IN THE HOUSE.” Screen Daily