9 year old Helena Zengel is nothing short of a revelation here, as she turns in a powerhouse performance as troubled victim-of-the-system Bernadette, or Benni, in Nora Fingscheidt’s explosive
feature debut.

Picking up awards hand over fist upon its release in her native Germany, this is bruising & brutal social cinema, but with a strong, powerful message at its core. It is not easy to watch such a shockingly convincing portrayal of infant distress, anger & aggression, but System Crasher is hugely rewarding to those patient enough to persevere – the editing, use of colour, remarkable soundtrack, and peerless performances all combine to deliver an unforgettable film of value, honesty and depth, primarily driven by the tremendous central performance of Zengel.

Does anger management work? What happens when a mother is scared of her own child? Fingscheidt’s debut is unflinching in dealing with delicate social issues, and the result is refreshing and compassionate. A superb first film from this exciting new director.

Director: Nora Fingscheidt
Stars: Helena Zengel, Albrecht Schuch, Gabriela Maria Schmeide
Genre: Drama
Year: 2019 Cert: 15 Runtime: 2hr 5min