“Bad Education,” the film based on the Roslyn school district’s 2004 corruption scandal, premiered on Sunday at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Written and co-produced by Roslyn High School alumnus Mike Makowsky, the film had been selected for the festival in July. It premiered on the festival’s fourth day, at an evening showing at Toronto’s Princess of Wales Theater for select ticket holders, and had a second showing the next day. “Bad Education” is scheduled to play the festival twice more, on Friday and Saturday.
The film is based on former Roslyn Superintendent Frank Tassone, who during his 12-year term spent $11.2 million of the district’s money with his colleagues. Tassone pleaded guilty to first- and second-degree grand larceny, was sentenced in 2006 to 4 to 12 years in prison, and was given an early release in 2010. As recently as last year, he received a six-figure pension, as he did in prison.
“X-Men” star Hugh Jackman plays Tassone in the film, which also features Oscar winner Allison Janney as Pamela Gluckin, an assistant superintendent for business and bookmaker in the scandal who was the first district official to be caught. Gluckin obtained a plea deal for a 3-to-9-year sentence in 2006, and was paroled in 2011. She last received a government pension in 2014, in a yearly sum of $56,870.
In a letter sent to parents on Oct. 3, 2018, the Roslyn school district said that it had not had any input on the film and that the production would not be shooting scenes on school property. Several production trucks were seen in the Roslyn area shortly afterward.
The film, which is produced independently by Automatik and Sight Unseen, is seeking distribution.
Makowsky and DDA Group, which handles public relations for the film, did not respond to written requests for comment.
