January 18, 2024
FILM: THE TEACHER’S LOUNGE
DIRECTED BY: ILKER CATAK
STARRING: LEONIE BENESCH, LEONARD STETTNISCH, EVA LOBAU
RATING: 3 out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
Remember how perfect school kids were in TV shows like Leave it to Beaver back in the 1950s and 60s? We then started seeing shifts in shows like Room 222 and Welcome Back Kotter in the 70s. (Ok, I realize I’m really dating myself here…) Well, times have changed in classrooms and schools since then as is clearly evident in Germany’s submission for the Best International Film Oscar this year, The Teacher’s Lounge. It’s a film in which students clash with students, teachers clash with other teachers and the administration, and parents clash with schools.
Leonie Benesch stars as Carla Nowak, a grammar school math teacher who right from the first scene must confront an issue regarding a student. Nowak walks through the halls full of nervous but determined energy as she attempts to get this problem solved. Soon a more serious situation arises when Nowak uses her laptop to catch someone stealing from her jacket. This sets up the series of confrontations, as the person in question is a school staff member whose son is in Nowak’s class. Initially she appears to have great rapport and strong control over her classroom but the incident leads to questions about unfair, and possibly illegal, surveillance. Soon Nowak loses control and the support of her students, their parents, and many fellow faculty members. For a teacher, this is a nightmare scenario. Where does she turn to for support and guidance? How does she continue to maintain professionalism in the classroom?
Interestingly, the psychological ramifications are not what we see. The whole film essentially takes place on school grounds. We don’t witness Nowak wrestling with her work problems at home rather we see how she handles it all while on site. It’s a curious decision that does in fact make the plot move rather quickly. Cameras also move rapidly with her. Tense music accompanies crucial moments. In some ways, the film feels like a dramatic version of ABC’s Abbott Elementary without the broad characters and witty one-liners.
The puzzle here though is how all of what the film attempts to cover gels together. This is really a story about 21st Century education, which has changed power dynamics and the role of clear authority in the system. The film tackles stealing, personal technology use in the classroom, censorship, racism, and the struggle for a unified voice in making policy decisions. What it is ultimately trying to say though is a bit unclear. It’s true that some school districts in the U.S. may be losing the battle on having united fronts for teachers, administration, and parents. Many might feel the same chaos as is depicted here. Narratively though is director/co-writer Ilker Catak suggesting administrations should provide more support for teachers? Should parents be allowed to weigh in on educational decisions? How do we keep control of our students? Whatever the case, the film recognizes that problems in schools are widespread and complex. It doesn’t really solve any of them, perhaps suggesting that we’re in need of new approaches to such problem solving. It isn’t a coincidence that Nowak just happens to teach math where finding definitive proof always results in a solution. Real life today doesn’t work in quite the same cut and dry manner. Yet, we still need to attempt to solve these problems.
The Teacher’s Lounge played at the Chicago International Film Festival. It opens this week in limited release, including the Music Box Theater in Chicago.
FILM: THE TEACHER’S LOUNGE
DIRECTED BY: ILKER CATAK
STARRING: LEONIE BENESCH, LEONARD STETTNISCH, EVA LOBAU
RATING: 3 out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
Remember how perfect school kids were in TV shows like Leave it to Beaver back in the 1950s and 60s? We then started seeing shifts in shows like Room 222 and Welcome Back Kotter in the 70s. (Ok, I realize I’m really dating myself here…) Well, times have changed in classrooms and schools since then as is clearly evident in Germany’s submission for the Best International Film Oscar this year, The Teacher’s Lounge. It’s a film in which students clash with students, teachers clash with other teachers and the administration, and parents clash with schools.
Leonie Benesch stars as Carla Nowak, a grammar school math teacher who right from the first scene must confront an issue regarding a student. Nowak walks through the halls full of nervous but determined energy as she attempts to get this problem solved. Soon a more serious situation arises when Nowak uses her laptop to catch someone stealing from her jacket. This sets up the series of confrontations, as the person in question is a school staff member whose son is in Nowak’s class. Initially she appears to have great rapport and strong control over her classroom but the incident leads to questions about unfair, and possibly illegal, surveillance. Soon Nowak loses control and the support of her students, their parents, and many fellow faculty members. For a teacher, this is a nightmare scenario. Where does she turn to for support and guidance? How does she continue to maintain professionalism in the classroom?
Interestingly, the psychological ramifications are not what we see. The whole film essentially takes place on school grounds. We don’t witness Nowak wrestling with her work problems at home rather we see how she handles it all while on site. It’s a curious decision that does in fact make the plot move rather quickly. Cameras also move rapidly with her. Tense music accompanies crucial moments. In some ways, the film feels like a dramatic version of ABC’s Abbott Elementary without the broad characters and witty one-liners.
The puzzle here though is how all of what the film attempts to cover gels together. This is really a story about 21st Century education, which has changed power dynamics and the role of clear authority in the system. The film tackles stealing, personal technology use in the classroom, censorship, racism, and the struggle for a unified voice in making policy decisions. What it is ultimately trying to say though is a bit unclear. It’s true that some school districts in the U.S. may be losing the battle on having united fronts for teachers, administration, and parents. Many might feel the same chaos as is depicted here. Narratively though is director/co-writer Ilker Catak suggesting administrations should provide more support for teachers? Should parents be allowed to weigh in on educational decisions? How do we keep control of our students? Whatever the case, the film recognizes that problems in schools are widespread and complex. It doesn’t really solve any of them, perhaps suggesting that we’re in need of new approaches to such problem solving. It isn’t a coincidence that Nowak just happens to teach math where finding definitive proof always results in a solution. Real life today doesn’t work in quite the same cut and dry manner. Yet, we still need to attempt to solve these problems.
The Teacher’s Lounge played at the Chicago International Film Festival. It opens this week in limited release, including the Music Box Theater in Chicago.