Systemsprenger

No matter where Benni goes, she is immediately kicked out again: from foster families, shared accommodation, or special education. The wild nine-year-old is what the youth welfare office refers to as a “system crasher”. A difficult and traumatic childhood has left deep wounds on the bright and amiable girl. Benni only has one wish: to return home to her mother – but there is no room for her there, which is just one of the many disappointments that threatens to stifle her. When Micha, a specialist in juvenile delinquents, is assigned to her as a learning support assistant, fresh wind begins to blow for the “little fighter”. The impressive debut of ZFF Master Class Alumna Nora Fingscheidt, who won the Berlinale’s Alfred Bauer Prize, is drawn with a forceful relatability complimented by the powerful performance by Helena Zengels as the irrepressible Benni.