A day before Christmas Eve, a young, inexperienced doctor starts his first night shift on his own. All of his more skilled colleagues have left to spend some time with their families. There are no signs which would indicate that this calm night will change into a struggle for not only a child's life, but also a professional and personal credentialing.
Acting
Pokorný's trembling competence is devastating.
Direction
Hecht stretches minutes into eternities of dread.
Director
Jan Hecht
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Shot in an actual Czech hospital during off-hours; Pokorný shadowed emergency physicians for three months.
The title's double meaning—professional certification and personal validation—collapses in the final scene where neither feels earned.
CZ
