A documentary shown last month at the Sundance Film Festival uses the stories of children in several cities to make the case that American public education is failing.
“Waiting for Superman” is directed by Davis Guggenheim, who won an Oscar for the documentary “An Inconvenient Truth,” which examined global climate change. The new film had its world premiere Jan. 22 at the festival, a Park City, Utah, showcase for independent films.
Mr. Guggenheim, who is also the narrator, said he hopes the film causes everyone to look at what he says is the poor state of public schools. It features District of Columbia Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee, Harlem Children’s Zone founder Geoffrey Canada, and Bill Gates, the chairman of the Microsoft Corp., who appeared at Sundance to promote the documentary.
Waiting for Superman is expected to be in theaters next fall.
