Das Lehrerzimmer

The Teachers’ Lounge

Panorama 2023

“What happens in the staff room stays in the staff room,” says Carla Nowak in an interview with the school newspaper. Even if that is purely wishful thinking for the teacher at this point. This is her first job, and she is committed to teaching mathematics and physical education to her class of seventh graders. Things are going well and she is able to motivate these adolescents. Then a series of thefts occur at school and one of her students is quickly suspected. An outraged Carla decides to get to the bottom of the matter herself, but the case is not so easy to solve and has repercussions. Quickly decried as idealistic by the rest of the staff, Carla finds herself having to answer to angry parents and mediate between quarrelling students. The more she tries to do everything right, the more she – and others – are pushed to their limits, and the entire school system is thrown off balance.
İlker Çatak misses nothing in his brilliantly observed film. In his unsparing drama, the school is a microcosm in which the outside world no longer exists and nothing remains private. Das Lehrerzimmer is a study in power relations that demonstrates how individuals are worn down between entrenched positions.

by İlker Çatak
with Leonie Benesch, Leonard Stettnisch, Eva Löbau, Michael Klammer, Anne-Kathrin Gummich, Kathrin Wehlisch, Sarah Bauerett, Rafael Stachowiak, Uygar Tamer, Özgür Karadeniz Germany 2023 German, Turkish, Polish, English 94’ Colour Rating R12

With

Leonie Benesch (Carla Nowak)
Leonard Stettnisch (Oskar)
Eva Löbau (Friederike Kuhn)
Michael Klammer (Thomas Liebenwerda)
Anne-Kathrin Gummich (Dr. Bettina Böhm)
Kathrin Wehlisch (Lore Semnik)
Sarah Bauerett (Vanessa König)
Rafael Stachowiak (Milosz Dudek)
Uygar Tamer (Ms Yilmaz)
Özgür Karadeniz (Mr Yilmaz)

Crew

Director	İlker Çatak
Screenplay	Johannes Duncker, İlker Çatak
Cinematography	Judith Kaufmann
Editing	Gesa Jäger
Music	Marvin Miller
Sound Mixing	Michael Hinreiner
Sound Design	Kirsten Kunhardt
Sound	Thorsten Többen
Production Design	Zazie Knepper
Costumes	Christian Röhrs
Make-Up	Barbara Kreuzer
Casting	Simone Bär, Alexandra Montag
Assistant Director	Janina Hüttenrauch
Production Manager	Markus Mayr
Producer	Ingo Fliess