Director / co-writer Antonio Cuesta presents a grim parable about the accidental death of a child under hospital care in his short film The Night Inside (La Noche Dentro). Belén (Clare Durant), a young nurse, wakes up after being punched by the father of the deceased child. It is known that she gave the child medicine, and he died as a result. She insists that she gave him a mild pain reliever, but it turned out she actually gave him insulin, which stopped his heart.
Belén shows the staff where she pulled the drug from, and it looks like the bin is incorrectly labeled. Explosive conflict erupts among the nursing staff and administrators as they await the arrival of the police. There is finger-pointing all around. One issue that becomes clear is the nurse had been working 29 hours when this mistake was made.
“…a young female nurse wakes up after being punched by the father of the deceased child…”
This could be a documentary. The camera, sound, and lighting are verité style. The action occurs in real time. The performances, particularly from Durant, are stark and real, bringing a deep authenticity to the drama. Cuesta does a mighty job of presenting the argument that hospitals are understaffed and underfunded, highlighted in the fact that a children’s ward nurse had to work 29 hours.
Medical mistakes are inevitable, given that humans are involved, but these outcomes can be mitigated by better human resource management and more rigorous checks and balances in the hospital process. Cuestra shines a light on one needless death, in hopes of inspiring better support and management of these vital institutions. The Night Inside (La Noche Dentro) isn’t easy to watch, but it is compelling.
"…the accidental death of a child under hospital care..."
