TIFF 2023: The Teachers’ Lounge Review

This will be one of many reviews during this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, to keep up with our latest coverage, click here.

Upon graduation, many idealists believe trivial drama evaporates once leaving the schoolyard, but in reality, politics only intensify once entering the workplace. Germany’s submission for the 96th Academy Awards, The Teachers’ Lounge, studies workplace politics within the confines of a school, and examines how a small but delicate situation erupts once students and teachers become involved. Set in a junior high school in Germany with a strict and slightly elitist mentality, Leonie Benesch portrays Carla, a woman fresh out of teachers’ college who is trying to make a positive mark on her students. Unlike her colleagues who operate in cliques and gossip in the teachers lounge, Carla’s priority is clearly to set her students up for success.

When a thief starts stealing money from the teachers’ lounge, a council of staff members conduct investigations within Carla’s classroom, much to her dismay. She initially tries to distance herself from the situation at hand. However, when the cash in her wallet suddenly disappears and one of her students begins to become a victim to racial profiling caused by her co-workers, she takes matters into her own hands and sets up a camera to try and catch the thief in action. Convinced that her fellow co-worker Friederike (Löbau) is behind the crimes, she pins the blame on her, leading to a suspension despite no concrete evidence. Carla’s small act of intended-heroism leads to a situation far bigger and more complex than she ever could have imagined.

The Teachers’ Lounge is a fascinating study on how an act of heroism in one individual’s eyes could have a negative impact on someone else. Director Ilker Çatak proves he is a name to watch out for, as his style is he crafts a anxiety-inducing thriller in a minimalistic fashion, drawing on the audiences internal fears and insecurities. Meanwhile, Benesch delivers a strong performance as Carla. She does an impeccable job getting the audience to understand her motives, while also playing the character just distant and isolated enough to be furious with how her actions affect other characters. She conveys so much anxiety and tension solely through her eyes and simple facial expressions.

The Teachers’ Lounge is also an effective exercise in building tension with minimal resources and a fairly mundane premise for most of its runtime. Çatak puts audiences on edge far before any drama unfolds through a seemingly insignificant line of dialogue or a slight change of the color palette. However, once the story begins to escalate, the film eventually resorts to melodrama, lifting its veil of authenticity and leaving audiences with an entertaining, but jarringly theatrical third act. The film brings up many interesting ideas and draws parallels between schoolyard drama and workplace politics, but its not specific or poignant enough to make much of an impact.

Overall, despite some melodramatic moments and an unclear message, The Teachers’ Lounge is well crafted and worth the watch for those seeking out a low-key workplace thriller.

*still courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics*

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Tristan French