Wherever 9-year-old Benni ends up, she is expelled. She has become what child protection services call a “system crasher.” But she is not looking to change her ways, and has one goal: go back home to her mother. When anger management trainer Micha is hired to help, suddenly there is hope.
Acting
Helena Zengel's volcanic, terrifyingly authentic performance at age nine.
Direction
Nora Fingscheidt refuses to make Benni likable or explainable.
Editing
Strobe-cut rage sequences that put you inside her head.
Director
Nora Fingscheidt
Helena Zengel
Benni
Albrecht Schuch
Michael Heller
Gabriela Maria Schmeide
Frau Bafané
Lisa Hagmeister
Mutter
Maryam Zaree
Elli Heller
Matthias Brenner
Erzieher Wolfgang
Tedros Teclebrhan
Erzieher Robert
Gisa Flake
Lehrerin
Axel Werner
Bauer Bockelmann
Imke Büchel
Frau Herzog
Victoria Trauttmansdorff
Silvia
Peter Schneider
Erzieher Fabio
Roland Bonjour
Jens
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
System Crasher invented its own visual grammar for childhood rage, influencing how contemporary German cinema portrays institutional failure.
Helena Zengel was discovered in a school play; director Fingscheidt rewrote the script around her actual unpredictable energy.
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