With his uncouth manner, Professor Pohl doesn’t enjoy the best reputation at the university where he works. To make matters worse, he makes a racist remark when student Naima arrives late for his lecture. Unfortunately for him, a video of his verbal outburst spreads like wildfire on the Internet, and the university’s president, Lambrecht, is called to deal with the incident. But Pohl is not dismissed. Instead, he is put to the task of helping Naima prepare for an important debating competition. The lecturer and the student could not be more different, yet they are thrown together to work as a team.
Acting
Christoph Maria Herbst's cringe-worthy professor is perfection you love to hate.
Writing
Sharp dialogue that makes debate prep feel like verbal boxing matches.
Direction
Wortmann balances cringe comedy with genuine emotional growth seamlessly.
Director
Sönke Wortmann
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The film sparked real debate in Germany about cancel culture and whether comedy can ethically platform bigotry even for redemption arcs.
Nilam Farooq is actually a former debate champion; her tournament scenes required zero acting for the technical skills.
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