On ne peut pas faire boire un cheval qui n'a pas soif

In Paris' 20th arrondissement, an unusual primary school is to be found. In this state-funded school, named Vitruve, teachers and parents have sought to implement an alternative pedagogical programme for the past 45 years, based on autonomy, empowerment of children, democracy and collaborative work. One of the directors of the documentary comes from the Vitruve school, the other from a traditional school. Together, they decided to follow the preparation of the "braderie", a market organized annually by the school, in order to highlight the particular functioning of the school and examine the legitimacy of the educational model it promotes. Every beginning of the school year, from early September to mid-October, everyone in the school is involved in the preparation of this "braderie". Since the seventies, this event has been a market, a place of celebration, a method of learning and of acquiring experience, a gathering place.