By Maria Esteves – September 26, 2011

The 2011 Education Nation Summit World Premiere of AMERICAN TEACHER, directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Vanessa Roth, commenced Sunday, September 25, 4:15PM, in the tent at Rockefeller Plaza, New York. Presented by NBC News Education Nation, a special panel discussion preceded the world premiere with director Vanessa Roth, wirter/producer Dave Eggers, moderated by meteorologist, Today Show host Al Roker, NBC. A post screening panel discussion immediately followed the film with Bloomberg columnist Jonathan Alter, Helen Gym, founder of Parents United for Public Education, cast members educators Erik Benner, Trinity Spring Middle School, TX; Jonathan Dearman, Leadership High School, CA; Jamie Fidler, Philip Livingston Elementary School, NY; and Rhena Jasey, Boyden Elementary School, NJ, TEP Charter School, NY. Business leaders, elected officials, educators, and parents attended the world premiere of AMERICAN TEACHER.

If education is critical to a country’s economic future and leadership, then teaching is the world’s most highly honored profession. AMERICAN TEACHER is a compelling and compassionate documentary that depicts the social and economic implications of being an educator in public schools across America today. Narrated by Matt Damon, the film follows five teacher day-to-day lives and careers sharing their experiences with low pay, long hours, out of pocket expenses, having to work second jobs outside of the classroom, preparation time, maternity leave, parent-teacher relationship, and high teacher turnovers. It includes interviews with policy experts and astonishing statistics.

AMERICAN TEACHER, produced/directed by Venessa Roth | USA | 2011 | 81 min | Feature Documentary | English | released by First Run Features; World Premiere, 2011 Education Nation Summit, New York; Opens Theatrically at AMC Cinemas, September 30, 2011.