THE
TEACHERS LOUNGE
Nominated
for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film
Carla Nowak (Leonie Benesch) is a
dedicated, idealistic young teacher in her first job at a German middle school.
Her relaxed rapport with her seventh-grade students is put under stress when a
series of thefts occur at the school, and a staff investigation leads to
accusations and mistrust among outraged parents, opinionated colleagues, and
angry students. Caught in the middle of these complex dynamics, Carla tries to
mediate—but the more she tries to do everything right, the more desperate her
position becomes.
With The Teachers’ Lounge,
award-winning director Ilker Çatak (I
Was, I Am, I Will Be) creates a riveting work about school as a microcosm
of society. Starring as a dedicated young teacher, Leonie Benesch (The White Ribbon, Babylon Berlin, Around The
World In 80 Days) drives an intense atmosphere through her captivating
portrayal of an idealist caught between clashing sides. The Teachers’ Lounge is a study in power dynamics, with themes of
truth, justice, racism, respect, and children’s rights that demonstrate how
individuals are worn down between entrenched positions. (Germany, 2023, 98 mins, PG-13, German | Dir. Ilker Çatak)
