SUR LE CHEMIN DE L'ECOLE

Tracking four groups of children in four far-flung locations -- the Kenyan wilderness, the hills of Patagonia, the Atlas Mountains and the Bay of Bengal -- the film jumps among the four tweens as they each set off on impossibly long, arduous and sometimes life-threatening journeys to attend class in distant schoolhouses. There’s no doubt that each one of these kids is remarkable, not only in their sheer physical tenacity, but in their sincere hope that an education will lead to a better life. It’s a far cry from the experience of many Westerners, where school is often less a pleasure than a chore, and where daydreaming and texting are the only means to ward off hours -- and quite possibly, years -- of boredom.