Oscar-nominated The Teachers’ Lounge is German writer-director Ilker Çatak’s brilliantly observed drama. Playing out like a thriller, the film expertly explores the fault lines of contemporary society.
Carla Nowak (Leonie Benesch) is a dedicated and idealistic new high-school teacher. A fresh face at the school, she seems to have connected with her Year 8 students, who are engaged and eager to learn in her maths class. But something is bubbling underneath the surface, and she’s quickly thrust into a delicate situation when a Turkish boy is suspected of theft. Not convinced of his guilt, Carla takes matters into her own hands and inadvertently starts down a path that soon begins to spiral out of control.