The Teachers’ Lounge

*From the organisers (correct at the time of publishing), please see the organiser’s website for the latest details.

2023 ( Germany ) ( Drama ) (In German with English sub-titles)
Starring: Leonie Benesch, Leonard Stettnisch, Eva Löbau
Director: Ilker Catak
Carla Nowak, a dedicated sports and math teacher, starts her first job at a high school. She stands out among the new staff because of her idealism. When a series of thefts occur at the school and one of her students is suspected, she decides to get to the bottom of the matter on her own. Carla tries to mediate between outraged parents, opinionated colleagues and aggressive students, but is relentlessly confronted with the structures of the school system. The more desperately she tries to do everything right, the more the young teacher threatens to break.

A smart and provocative modern parable with the heart of a thriller, The Teachers’ Lounge brilliantly uses its setting as the backdrop for a look at how quickly even tight-knit communities can be destabilized.