Movie #3207 ........................."Teachers' Lounge" (theater)

 Movie #3207 "Teachers' Lounge" (theater)  This is nominated for an Oscar for  best foreign film, and I found it quite intriguing, and frustrating to watch.  It is really treated like a thriller, which is ironic since it centers on a bit of stealing in a classroom in Germany.  A new,  naive and idealistic teacher worries how kids are being forced to "tell" on each other when there is a robbery, and  she's uncomfortable the way the school is handling the problem, so she decides to use her computer to set up the perpetrator.  When she gets evidence, she goes directly to the person she thinks has done wrong.  And that's when things start to work against her --- it's like watching dominoes fall one by one, as we watch her try to deal with angry parents, kids, administration who are trying to straighten things out in their own  way, other teachers, and then the school newspaper gets involved.  We watch her idealism unravel, and we can't do anything to prevent it.  All the while she tries to do what she thinks is best for the children, but in the confines of a school system she learns that's not what is utmost in everyone's minds.  This film is packed with powerful emotion --- I know I felt like exploding several times, but that's because I am a former teacher.  I wonder how parents and kids would react to the film --- it's one worth watching, for sure, and talking about afterwards.  We stuck around in the theatre and talked to some of the people afterwards.  Very thought provoking and emotional to watch, and i would give it a 5.  And it would make me happy to see it win best foreign film this year, but I'm thinking given the critical acclaim the 'Zone' picture has gotten, that might beat it out.  But of the two, this one spoke more to me. (once again because of my love for teaching and respect for teachers/students)

"TEACHERS' LOUGE"    2023     PG-13     1 hour and 38 mins

Wen one of her students is suspected of theft, teacher Carla Novak deices to get to the bottom of the matter.  Caught between her ideals and the school system, the consequences of her actions threaten to break her.

Director:  IIker Catak

Writers:  Johannes Duncker, IIker Cat

Actors:  Leonie Beseech, Anne-Kathrin Gummich, Rafael Stachowiak