‘Bad Education’ to premiere in September at Toronto International Film Festival

Teri West
"Bad Education," starring Hugh Jackman as former Roslyn Schools superintendent Frank Tassone, has been bought for U.S. distribution by premium cable channel HBO. (Photo courtesy of the Toronto International Film Festival)

Roslyn is headed to the big screen this September, when “Bad Education,” a film starring Hugh Jackman as the school district’s corrupt former superintendent, will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Roslyn High School alum Mike Makowsky wrote the film, which also stars Allison Janney and Ray Romano.

“Beyond excited for us to present BAD EDUCATION at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival,” Makowsky, who graduated from the high school in 2009, tweeted Tuesday morning.

The film chronicles the corruption scandal School Superintendent Frank Tassone led in the early 2000s, embezzling millions of dollars and spending them on personal expenses. He was sentenced to prison in 2006.

The Toronto International Film Festival runs from Sept. 5 to Sept. 15. Dates of specific showings have not yet been announced.

“Some of the year’s biggest films will land in Toronto this September,” festival co-head Cameron Bailey said in a news release. “We’re thrilled to unveil Galas and Special Presentations that bring the brightest lights in film to our Festival audience. Our new programming team has been hard at work for months to deliver the compelling stories, acclaimed filmmakers, and top onscreen talent that mark our two highest-profile sections.”

Parts of “Bad Education” were filmed in Roslyn last fall, when trailers were spotted on Round Hill Road. Area schools, however, were not used as sets, according to a letter the Roslyn school district sent to parents at the time.

“While the film is purportedly meant to entertain, it’s important to remember that what occurred in our school district was far from entertaining,” the Oct. 3 letter said. “A former superintendent and several accomplices conspired to steal approximately $11.2 million meant for our children’s education. The scandal shook our community deeply.”

The full cast includes Ray Abruzzo, Peter Appel, Annaleigh Ashford, Rafael Casal (“Blindspotting”), Catherine Curtin, Hari Dhillon, Stephanie Kurtzuba, Kathrine Narducci, Jeremy Shamos, Stephen Spinella, Jimmy Tatro, Welker White and Alex Wolff (“Hereditary”).

Makowsky, Fred Berger (“La La Land”), Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Eddie Vaisman, Julia Lebedev and Oren Moverman co-produced “Bad Education.” Cory Finley (“Thoroughbreds”) directed it.

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