Athens International Film Festival
aiff

System Crasher

Benni is a savage beast capable of creating chaos within every aspect of the child-welfare system. Her only desire is to return to her mother who is unwilling to look after her. At the same time an educator is trying to tame her. Overwhelming, tender and at times surprisingly pop, this is a coming of age tale with child actor, Helena Zengel, giving a stunning performance. Recipient of multiple awards at the Berlin Film Festival and Germany’s official submission to the Academy Awards.


GERMANY | 2019 | COLOR | DCP | 118΄ | GERMAN

"System Crasher" is the person that cannot be integrated into any of the institutions created by the state to deal with the crasher’s antisocial behaviour. 9 year-old Benni is exactly that. A deeply traumatised child that no one can control, not her mother, not various organizations, foster homes even hospitals. Benni has seizures, violent outbursts, she swears at everyone, hurts herself and she’s always running away from something. She’s just like a dog that we keep seeing during the film, which barks all the time when what it really needs is a bit of attention.

A heart-stopping drama about a cry for love and the given dead-ends of humanity, that shocks you without succumbing to moralization, victimization and easy answers. Helena Zengel is fiery, carrying out the sentimental ups and downs as an adult actress. Silver Bear at Berlin Festival. I.D.

DIRECTOR: Nora Fingscheidt
SCREENWRITER: Nora Fingscheidt
DoP: Yunus Roy Imer
MUSIC: John Gürtler
EDITORS: Stephan Bechinger, Julia Kovalenko
PRINCIPAL CAST: Helena Zengel, Albrecht Schuch, Gabriela Maria Schmeide, Lisa Hagmeister

NORA FINGSCHEIDT
36 year-old director born in Braunschweig. In 2003 she organized a Film School in Berlin with filmic activities in more than 20 countries. She studied film direction a the Academy of Baden-Wuerttemberg. She directs short films and documentaries and has been awarded the Max Ophüls Prize. ‘System Crasher’ is her debut feature film.

FILMOGRAPHY
2019 System Crasher



        : Festival Darlings

        Parasite (Opening Film)

        Parasite (Opening Film)

        19/09/19, 22:00, DANAOS 1

        Adults in the Room (Closing Film)

        Adults in the Room (Closing Film)

        28/09/19, 19:00, Megaron - The Athens Concert Hall

        Adoration

        Adoration

        19/09/19, 20:30, IDEAL
        23/09/19, 21:15, DANAOS 2

        Divine Love

        Divine Love

        20/09/19, 22:15, DANAOS 1
        27/09/19, 22:00, ASTOR

        Light of my Life

        Light of my Life

        20/09/19, 22:30, IDEAL

        Buñuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles

        Buñuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles

        21/09/19, 20:00, DANAOS 1

        Piranhas

        Piranhas

        21/09/19, 22:00, DANAOS 1

        Synonyms

        Synonyms

        22/09/19, 19:00, ASTOR
        23/09/19, 22:00, ASTOR

        Family Romance, LLC

        Family Romance, LLC

        22/09/19, 20:00, DANAOS 1

        Marighella

        Marighella

        22/09/19, 22:00, DANAOS 1

        Jezebel

        Jezebel

        22/09/19, 22:00, ODEON OPERA 1
        28/09/19, 20:30, ASTOR

        Stitches

        Stitches

        23/09/19, 19:30, DANAOS 1
        25/09/19, 19:00, ODEON OPERA 2
        28/09/19, 22:00, DANAOS 2

        End of Sentence

        End of Sentence

        23/09/19, 19:30, ODEON OPERA 1
        29/09/19, 22:00, DANAOS 2

        Sorry We Missed You

        Sorry We Missed You

        23/09/19, 22:00, DANAOS 1
        24/09/19, 20:00, ASTOR

        Farewell

        Farewell

        24/09/19, 19:30, IDEAL

        Zombi Child

        Zombi Child

        24/09/19, 22:30, ASTOR
        28/09/19, 22:30, ASTOR

        Öndög

        Öndög

        25/09/19, 19:45, DANAOS 1

        We Are Little Zombies

        We Are Little Zombies

        25/09/19, 20:00, ODEON OPERA 1
        29/09/19, 17:30, ASTOR

        The Sound of Silence

        The Sound of Silence

        25/09/19, 22:00, DANAOS 1
        29/09/19, 22:00, ASTOR

        Portrait of a Lady on Fire

        Portrait of a Lady on Fire

        25/09/19, 22:15, IDEAL

        The Wild Goose Lake

        The Wild Goose Lake

        26/09/19, 20:00, IDEAL

        The Sharks

        The Sharks

        26/09/19, 22:15, DANAOS 1

        Sole

        Sole

        26/09/19, 22:15, ASTOR

        The Death of Dick Long

        The Death of Dick Long

        27/09/19, 20:00, IDEAL

        Bacurau

        Bacurau

        27/09/19, 22:00, DANAOS 1

        Animals

        Animals

        27/09/19, 22:30, IDEAL

        Driveways

        Driveways

        28/09/19, 18:00, ODEON OPERA 1

        Extra Ordinary

        Extra Ordinary

        28/09/19, 20:00, ODEON OPERA 1

        Spider

        Spider

        28/09/19, 20:30, IDEAL

        So Long, My Son

        So Long, My Son

        28/09/19, 21:45, DANAOS 1

        Farming

        Farming

        28/09/19, 22:00, ODEON OPERA 1

        The County

        The County

        29/09/19, 19:45, DANAOS 1

        The Ground Beneath my Feet

        The Ground Beneath my Feet

        29/09/19, 22:15, DANAOS 1