Parijat Ghosh 
Playing it safe is not Saoirse’s style. She has established a career in bold roles that stick with you, from Brooklyn and Little Women to Lady Bird. With her upcoming movie, Bad Apples, she is now taking a bolder step. It’s not your typical drama. This comedy-thriller is satirical, darkly humorous, and occasionally terrifying. Indeed, it is already creating a stir on the festival circuit.
What Is Bad Apples About?
Maria (Ronan), a primary school teacher who aspires to motivate her students, is at the centre of the movie. Isn’t that sweet? However, there is one student who is, to put it mildly, unmanageable. Her career begins to fail, her classroom devolves into chaos, and then Maria does the unimaginable.
She brings the “bad apple” home with her. literally. and locks them in her home.
The worst part is that when the disruptive child is gone, the class as a whole thrives. She is receiving praise from her teachers. Parents are ecstatic. Maria finds herself in a downward spiral, torn between her own sense of guilt and her developing preference for this strange new equilibrium. It’s humorous, twisted, and thought-provoking.
Bad Apples: Cast and Crew
Swedish filmmaker Jonatan Etzler makes a daring English-language debut with this film. Give it some time if the name is unfamiliar to you. He has already won awards; in 2018, the Student Academy Award was given to his short film Get Ready With Me. He’s expanding the scope of his incisive, eerie style with Bad Apples.
The script comes from Jess O’Kane, who makes an adaptation of Swedish author Rasmus Lindgren Andersson’s book De Oönskade, which translates to “The Unwanted.” The movie appears to carry on the book’s scathing criticism of moral ambiguities and educational systems.
International sales are handled by none other than HanWay Films, while production is done behind the scenes by Pulse Films and Lupus Film. With the help of producers like Oskar Pimlott (Blue Jean), the production has a strong independent reputation.
Bad Apples Debuts At Major Festivals
The crucial query now is: when will it be available for viewing?
World premiere: The Toronto International Film Festival 2025 (TIFF) will host the film’s premiere.
European premiere: On September 7, 2025, it will kick off the San Sebastián Film Festival’s New Directors section. Actually, it’s the section’s first movie, which puts a new director in the spotlight.
That launchpad is quite strong. Distribution agreements are frequently quickly reached by films that have a strong San Sebastián premiere. However, there is currently no certainty of a broader theatrical release. It can take a while for independent films to be picked up by the right studio.
Conclusion: Why You Should Care About Bad Apples
To be honest, it’s worth watching just for the setup. An ethically dubious tale, portrayed by a star such as Saoirse Ronan, and directed by a new but bold filmmaker? That is a surefire way to create something exceptional.
It’s not just about chaos in the classroom; it’s about what happens when we use the “greater good” as an excuse for bad behaviour. And the fact that it’s being marketed as simultaneously humorous, uneasy, and somewhat frightening? Enroll me.
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