First Day Back

It’s the first day back at school for the faculty and students of Lincoln High School in Philadelphia, after a fight between two students from rival neighborhoods resulted in the death of a fellow student, left others injured and changed the community forever. On this first day back, everyone struggles to adjust to the new normal – metal detectors, clear backpacks, and security escorts – with arguments erupting among teachers on the best way to protect the students and themselves. Superintendent Greene, a straight-laced administrator concerned about the district’s image and anxious for positive press, allows a local news crew to film the first day back, much to the dismay of the school’s leader, Principal Wallace. Focused on showing the school in the best light, she avoids problem areas, arranges interviews with top students and pushes for a moment with resident hero, teacher Mr. Harris. But both the news crew and Superintendent Greene get much more than they bargained for when tempers flare and students reveal how they truly feel about the violence and their new way of life. (Pan African Film Festival)