By Erick Pessôa

My earliest cinematic memory was The Empire Strikes Back (1980). That film did not just shape my childhood; it defined my sense of wonder. Over four decades later, I find myself finishing Andor (2022–2025), feeling like the same kid again. Except now, I am watching with the eyes of a film educator.

Let’s be clear: Andor is not made for children. It is one of the most mature, thematically rich, and politically grounded entries in the Star Wars universe. It is not a tale of magical heroes versus dark villains. It is a revolutionary spy thriller presented through the lens of science fiction. And it is exactly the kind of layered media text we should be exploring with our IB Film students.

From Popcorn to Protest: Cultural Context in Action

In IB Film, we teach that film is not made in a vacuum. That idea is central to the Textual Analysis assessment, where students must analyze how cultural, political, or historical context shapes meaning. Andor demonstrates this concept with extraordinary clarity.

Tony Gilroy’s series confronts viewers with the complexity of rebellion. The clean lines between good and evil, so central in the original trilogy, are replaced by moral ambiguity and ethical compromise. As Gilroy himself has stated, The Battle of Algiers (1966) was a key inspiration for the show. The Ghoran Massacre sequence, in particular, draws visual and thematic parallels to that classic of political cinema.

This series resonates with me on a personal level. I was born during the final years of Brazil’s military dictatorship. Censorship, fear, and silence were part of our everyday life. In the Oscar-winning film I Am Still Here (2024), there is a powerful scene where a man disappears simply for passing letters from exiled family members. No weapons, no politics, just family letters. My wife, who grew up in a country where even standing silently with a blank sign can lead to arrest, also sees her world reflected in Andor.

But there’s another reason why Andor moves me so deeply: representation. As a Latino, seeing a Latino actor like Diego Luna in a leading role, especially as the moral center of the rebellion, is nothing short of transformative. Luna brings quiet intensity, vulnerability, and authenticity to Cassian Andor, and that matters. Growing up, I rarely saw people who looked or spoke like me portrayed as complex protagonists, let alone as pivotal agents of change.

Luna doesn’t play a stereotype. He plays a fully dimensional man: flawed, frightened, and brave. His accent is not erased. His background is not glossed over. And in a galaxy filled with aliens, clones, and droids, the most human part of Andor is that we finally see someone like us leading the charge even with all his flaws. For IB Film students from underrepresented backgrounds, this is not just meaningful, it is revolutionary. It opens the door for conversations about inclusion, authenticity, and what it means to be seen.

The show delivers a cinematic experience that reflects these harsh realities within the framework of science fiction. It offers students a powerful example of cinema du resistance, reminding us how easily freedom can be lost and how difficult, painful, and morally complex it is to win it back.

Screenwriting and Character: Textual Analysis’ Criterion B in Focus

Gilroy’s writing is a masterclass in subtext and motivation. The characters in Andor are not guided by destiny, but by desperation, guilt, and conscience. The monologue by Luthen Rael, where he confesses that he has sacrificed everything for a future he will never see, is a stunning moment. It allows for in-depth analysis of sound design, lighting, performance, and editing.

These are ideal moments to teach students how film elements create meaning, as required by Criterion B in the Textual Analysis. How does framing express isolation? How does a sound bridge reflect inner conflict? How does production design ground the narrative in realism? Andor provides rich material for these discussions.

Even in Cycle One of the IB Film course, where we introduce students to the structure of the program and its expectations, Andor reinforces the idea that film is a pop art form that can entertain while delivering complex, emotional, and politically resonant stories.

Why This Matters in the IB Film Classroom

I tell my students all the time: the top mark (the “magical” 7)  is not a mystery. It’s right there in the IB Film Guide. If they understand how to analyze a film’s construction and cultural context, and if they’re willing to engage deeply with the material, they can absolutely reach it.

Andor helps me teach that. It offers cultural context, complex use of film elements, and strong links between individual scenes and the larger narrative. It checks every box the IB Film assessments are built upon.

I am planning to dissect it with my students. 

I will talk about it with them

I will let them discuss about it. 

And honestly? I never get tired of it.

“I burn my life to make a sunrise that I know I’ll never see.” — Luthen Rael