Educational activity around the short film Unsatisfying
Participate relevantly in an exchange.
Say to be heard and understood.

Unsatisfying © Parallel Studio
TitleUnsatisfying
ThemeDissatisfaction
Genre & keywordsComic, frustration, spoon, domino, ball
Age (for film)6-11 years old
Duration01 min 16 s
DirectorParallel Studio
MusicSamuel Barber
ProductionParallel Studio (France, 2016)
Discuss with the class and understand the concept of frustration.
Frustration is a more complex concept than it seems at first glance. The Larousse dictionary defines frustration as “the state of someone who is frustrated, prevented from achieving a goal or realizing a desire”. To frustrate someone corresponds to “depriving them of a good, of an advantage which they thought they could have, which they thought they possessed. » But how would students define this feeling? How do they feel about it?
After watching the film, students will explain what is “wrong” in each scene; then, why this creates a feeling of frustration, of dissatisfaction (see “Questioning the film” activity). Note that the English title “Unsatisfying” means “Unsatisfying” in French.
All students will intervene and compare their vision to that of others. Once the reasons for the frustration in the film are understood and formulated, the students, one by one, will describe a situation they experienced and explain why they felt a feeling of frustration or dissatisfaction... Does a house of cards collapse when the last card is placed?
More broadly, propose a debate on frustration. Is it negative? positive? Of course, in general, frustration can be felt as an inconvenience or even a pain, but what would a birthday party be if we hadn't waited for it for several days, what would the candy taste like if we could eat it in abundance, and what would be our pleasure if we consistently won at our favorite games?
A paradoxical but essential point of frustration: it bothers us but nevertheless allows us to improve; It’s because I didn’t achieve the expected goal that I want to start again. I run slower than others so I continue to train... Of course, frustration must always be interpreted as a means and not a consequence, it must allow us to progress within our limits.
This is why when we are in a competitive situation (sport, music, etc.), the important thing is above all to try to surpass ourselves and not to surpass others. Each person must become aware of their limits in order to evolve peacefully in their environment.
Activity sheet written by: Olivier Defaye


