The Teachers' Lounge

A teacher’s life unravels when one of her students is accused of stealing in this arresting, Oscar-nominated thriller.

After a series of thefts from the staff room, a new teacher becomes involved in finding the culprit. But her good intentions soon clash with the school’s heavy-handed methods. A stunning and tense portrait of school life, this German triumph employs a modest story to examine cancel culture, misinformation and scapegoating. Leonie Benesch (The White Ribbon) excels as the idealist swept up by scandal and assured, methodical direction successfully balances a character-driven drama with elements of a knife-edge thriller.