Overview

• Alexe Poukine’s documentary captures healthcare professionals participating in staged consultations to practice delivering difficult diagnoses and refine patient communication.
• Screened across Belgium, Switzerland and France, the film reveals staff burnout and hierarchical pressures that strain hospital solidarity.
• Through immersive role-playing with actors, Poukine blurs the lines between reality and performance, often eliciting genuine emotional responses.
• The theatrical workshops serve as both training and emotional outlet, highlighting how simulation can foster empathy in the face of systemic challenges.
• Building on her prior works, the director’s signature focus on empathy and human connection paves the way for her next feature, ‘Kika,’ slated for Cannes Critics’ Week.