Dead Poets Society

Set in 1959 at the fictional elite conservative boarding school Welton Academy, Dead Poets Society is an American drama film that follows John Keating, a progressive English teacher who uses poetry to encourage his students to break free from the norm, go against the status quo, and live life unapologetically. Written by Tom Schulman and directed by Peter Weir, the film features Robin Williams in the lead role as John Keating, alongside performances from Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke, Josh Charles, Gale Hansen, Norman Lloyd, Kurtwood Smith, and Dylan Kussman, among many others. The film garnered much commercial and critical acclaim, receiving multiple Academy Award nominations— with Schulman winning an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.