DVDS

The Class (PG-13, in French with subtitles) is based on a novel and stars the author, who plays a version of himself, a teacher in a rough school in Paris. The students, ages 14 and 15 and played by nonactors, struggle with immigration issues, self-identity and gender. The conversations between the dedicated teacher and brazen students is mesmerizing. Troubles with a particular student show the complexity of teacher-student conflicts.—Anna Groff

Sugar (R) follows the story of Miguel Santos, a.k.a. Sugar, a pitcher from the Dominican Republic as he struggles to make it to the big leagues and pull himself and his family out of poverty. It shows the vicissitudes of pro baseball while giving attention to the joy of play.—gh

TV

Endgame, shown on most PBS stations on Oct. 25 and available for viewing at pbs.org, is a feature film that depicts true events leading up to the end of apartheid in South Africa. The film tells a little-known story about talks held behind the scenes between Afrikaners and representatives of the African National Congress. It is a drama that doesn’t preach. Instead it shows both the difficulty and the efficacy of talking rather than fighting. Though many forces tried to bring change through force, it was a determined British businessman who helped enemies talk and find a way to peace without bloodshed.—gh