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Miss Kiet’s Children cover image

Miss Kiet’s Children 2016

Highly Recommended

Distributed by Icarus Films, 32 Court St., 21st Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201; 800-876-1710
Produced by Peter Lataster
Directed by Petra Lataster-Czisch and Peter Lataster
DVD, color, 113 min., Dutch and Arabic, with English subtitles



Middle School - General Adult
Child Development, Children, Education, Elementary Education, Immigration, Interpersonal Communication, Social Skills, Teachers

Date Entered: 07/10/2018

Reviewed by Margaret M. Reed, Riley-Hickingbotham Library, Ouachita Baptist University, Arkadelphia, AR

The benevolence of an experienced teacher can make all the difference in the lives of children, especially those who’ve fled countries shattered by war.

Set in a Dutch elementary school in the rural village of Hapert, Miss Kiet’s Children is a front-row seat in Kiet Engels’ classroom, a place where refugee children make a positive transition under the guidance of their master teacher. Her watchful eye discerns what each student needs to excel on all levels – academic, social, and personal. Disciplined and structured, Miss Kiet fosters a vibrant learning environment where mutual respect, creativity, and independence thrive. When fear and wartime memories invade their space, Miss Kiet reassures her students with compassion, gently guiding them to find hope in their new surroundings and in themselves.

Produced without narration or special effects, the film’s observational cinema style gives viewers an unfiltered perspective of the children’s experiences, emotions, and special connection with Miss Kiet.

An official selection at various festivals around the world, Miss Kiet’s Children earned the following awards:

  • 2016 Munich Dok.Fest Audience Award
  • 2016 DOXA Documentary Film Festival Honorable Mention
  • 2017 Dutch Academy Awards Best Documentary Feature
  • 2018 Chicago European Union Film Festival Audience Award for Best Film and Honorable Mention

A powerful testament to the life-changing impact of exceptional teachers, Miss Kiet’s Children is an outstanding resource for all libraries and courses in education, global studies, and interpersonal communication.