The Teachers' Lounge (2023)
I think this German Oscar-nominee deserves at least as much attention as Anatomy of a Fall which it shares many similarities with. Where Anatomy of a Fall used a courtroom to mercilessly dissect a persons private personality, this is less about character exploration and more of an uncomfortable lense at group dynamics, social status, rumors, school politics and how even the best of people with the best intentions can have something totally spiral out of control. It provides even less resolve and answers than Anatomy of a Fall with no clear explanations, which can be very frustrating and challenging, but I love the boldness of it and how the film manages to create so much tension and personal drama on the nature of doubts with a relatively minor plot about some small time theft in a regular school. I only know Leonie Benesch from Das Weisse Band but she is outright amazing here as well, where we really get her most inner thoughts and doubts and inner monologue just from facial expressions and body language, while still maintaining a personal boundary where we never really get to know her.
Rating: 4.5