REinvent International Sales has boarded “Second Victims,” a psychological drama directed by Zinnini Elkington which shot on location at Denmark’s Herlev Hospital.
Set against the backdrop of an understaffed stroke unit, the film follows skilled neurologist Alexandra whose unwavering confidence is put to the ultimate test when a routine case spirals into tragedy. Blame and guilt ripple through the hospital, pushing Alexandra to confront her own fallibility and the profound repercussions of medical errors. Currently in post, the film is produced by Johannes Rothaus Nørregaard for Meta Film. SF Studios will release it in the Nordics.
“Second Victims” is led by a duo of Scandinavian stars, Özlem Saglanmak, whose credits include “Borgen,” and Trine Dyrholm, who previously starred in Susanne Bier’s Oscar winning “In A Better World” and Sundance’s Audience Award winner “Queen of Hearts.” The cast is completed by Anders Matthesen, the creator of hit franchise “Checkered Ninja,” Mathilde Arcel (“Agent”), Iman Meskini (“Skam”) and Olaf Johannessen (“Trom”).
Zinnini Elkington’s feature debut, “Second Victims” is inspired by a psychological syndrome named “second victim syndrome”, which can occur for healthcare staff after a traumatic patient care incident.
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“This impressive and intense feature debut from Zinnini Elkington deals with the psychological consequences for a team of doctors and nurses after a traumatic event in the healthcare system,” said Rikke Ennis, CEO at REinvent International Sales. “We are very proud to represent the film internationally and we are convinced this film will resonate with buyers and festivals alike,” Ennis continued.
Eklington said this movie is “a call for empathy.” “I want to challenge the prevailing narrative about medical misjudgements while also exploring timeless human dilemmas. When our ideals conflict with reality, it’s always the authentic individual who suffers the consequences,” she continued. She also described the female acting duo formed by Saglanmak and Dyrholm as “two forces of nature.”
“Second Victims” is produced by Meta Film by producer Johannes Rothaus Nørregaard, with support from New Danish Screen at the Danish Film Institute and Creative Europe Media.