#TIFF23: “THE TEACHERS’ LOUNGE” REVIEW

By George Kozera

Germany’s official entry for Best International Feature for the 2023 Academy Awards, THE TEACHERS LOUNGE is an extraordinary movie that tackles issues as diverse as racism, teenage rebellion, and misinterpreted events or comments with aplomb and startling finesse. Due to a series of thefts at a high school, a seventh-grade Turkish student is interrogated by school executives, where new math teacher Carla Nowak (Leonie Benesch in a hypnotic performance) is an unwilling participant. Believing the young boy’s parents’ explanation of why there was a large amount of cash found in his wallet, Carta is on a mission to discover who the actual thief is. She sets up a “sting” in the teachers’ lounge and it appears that the school’s administrator may be the thief. Ironically, this person is also the mother of Oscar (Leo Stettnisch, a performance so accomplished, it belies his young age), a student that Carla has taken a special interest in.

THE TEACHERS’ LOUNGE genuinely made me feel off-kilter. Exceptionally well-written with nary a false note, Director and Co-Writer Biker Catak plays with and manipulates the cinematic Thriller genre with her own incomparable vision. I strongly urge everyone to see this remarkable piece of art.

THE TEACHERS’ LOUNGE screens at TIFF ’23:

Tuesday Sept. 12-3:30 pm-Scotiabank 4 Wednesday-Sept. 13-9:45 pm-Scotiabank 14