The Flying Classroom
Martina, a kind-hearted girl from a Berlin high-rise housing estate, wins a scholarship to a prestigious boarding school nestled in a picturesque Alpine town. Upon arrival, she plunges into a bitter, generations-old feud dividing the boarders—city kids like her—from the local "day pupils." Tough Jo, boxer Matze, and little Uli enforce an iron rule of separation, untouched by adult intervention. The well-meaning director Justus Bökh (Tom Schilling) tries pleasing everyone, while strict headmistress Kreuzkamm (Hannah Herzsprung)—mother to day-pupil leader Ruda—struggles with unpredictable authority. Even the mysterious non-smoker dropout (Trystan Pütter) living in a railway carriage stays aloof.
Torn between academic dreams, family duties, and loyalty to new friends, Martina navigates escalating tensions. A planned joint year-end play crumbles as expected, but a dramatic accident shatters the divide, forcing reconciliation.
This big-screen adaptation of Erich Kästner’s bestselling children’s and young adult book, directed by Carolina Hellsgård (Sunburned, Ever After, Wanja), infuses a contemporary viewpoint with female protagonists. Starring Tom Schilling (Fabian – Going to the Dogs, Oh, Boy!), Trystan Pütter (Toni Erdmann, Into the Beat), Hannah Herzsprung (Four Minutes, The Reader), and rising talents like Leni Deschner and Wanja Valentin Kube, it’s a thrilling adventure blending action, gripping twists, and delightful humor.
Key Information
Original Title
Das Fliegende Klassenzimmer
Year
2023
Duration
85 min
Genre
Adventure
Country
Germany
Languages
German
Awards
Stockholm IFF Junior (Sweden) 2024: Best Film 6-10 years
Cast & Crew
Directors
Carolina Hellsgård
Writers
Gerrit Hermans, Original Work: Erich Kästner
Producers
Sebastian Werninger, Benjamin Benedict
Executive Producers
Tobias Timme, Mattias Adler
Production Companies
UFA Fiction in co-production with Leonine Studios
Cast
Tom Schilling, Trystan Pütter, Hannah Herzsprung, Leni Deschner, Lovena Börschmann Ziegler, Wanja Valentin Kube
Stills
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