Watch Our Exclusive Interview With 'Bad Apples' Director Jonatan Etzler
By Shauna Bushe - September 10, 2026
Movies - Features - Interviews
Jonatan Etzler’s Bad Apples is an uncomfortable, hilarious and morally challenging film that refuses to give its audience easy answers.
The film follows a troubled classroom environment and gradually asks some difficult questions about who we consider to be a “bad apple”, where that behaviour comes from, and how society treats those who struggle to fit within it.
Having previously worked as a film teacher, Etzler drew on his own experiences in schools when developing the film. His time working with children gave him an insight into the challenges teachers face, while also inspiring a story that could explore those experiences in a fun but increasingly unsettling way.
In our exclusive video interview, Etzler discusses the inspiration behind Bad Apples, the film's exploration of morality and education, and why audiences may find themselves questioning their own reactions to Maria's decisions.
He also talks about the film's impressive young performers, including Eddie Waller, who plays Danny despite having never acted in front of a camera before, and Nia Brown, who plays Pauline. Etzler reveals that the first classroom scene with Danny was one of the moments he was most nervous about during production, knowing that its success was crucial to the film.
The conversation also touches on the film's ending, the idea of freedom, and the questions Etzler hopes audiences take away after watching Bad Apples. For him, the goal is for viewers to sit with the film after the emotional rollercoaster has ended and consider how we treat people who don't fit into the society around them, as well as our own complicity in the suffering of others.
Watch our full video interview with Jonatan Etzler below.
Please note: The interview contains spoilers for Bad Apples. We recommend watching the film before viewing the interview.
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Shauna Bushe
Writer
Shauna is always down to talk about movie lore, collector of all things physical media and driven by a life long love for horror cinema.
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