Dr Carsten Brosda, Senator for Culture and Media Hamburg: "This outstanding Hamburg production is rightly moving into the international spotlight for good. In the microcosm of school, this film deals with the really big issues: It's about prejudice and judgement, about power and powerlessness, about guilt and justice. I would like to congratulate İlker Çatak and his team on the nomination of "The Teachers' Lounge" for Best International Film at this year's Oscars and keep my fingers crossed for the awards ceremony in March."

Helge Albers, CEO of MOIN Film Fund: "From Hamburg to Hollywood! With his Hamburg Media School graduation film 'Sadakat', İlker Çatak already took home the 'Student Oscar®' in gold in 2015. He could now make the sensation perfect with his exceptional film 'The Teachers' Lounge'. The intense drama with an outstanding Leonie Benesch has what it takes to prevail against the competition. We are keeping our fingers crossed for the entire team around İlker Çatak and Executive Producer Ingo Fliess! Our congratulations also go to Wim Wenders and Sandra Hüller, who were also nominated for an Oscar today."

In "The Teachers' Lounge", European shooting star Leonie Benesch slips into the role of a Hamburg teacher. When one day one of her pupils is suspected of theft, she decides to investigate the matter personally - and threatens to break her ideals and the school system. The film by Hamburg Media School graduate İlker Çatak was shot entirely in Hamburg and celebrated its world premiere at the Berlinale 2023. Çatak wrote the script together with Johannes Duncker. MOIN Film Fund supported the project by if...Productions Film with 390,000 euros. Directors İlker Çatak already had his first taste of Oscar® air in 2015. With his HMS graduation film "Sadakat", he won the "Student Oscar®" in gold.

The 96th Oscars® Distribution will take place on 10 March 2024 in Hollywood.