No Verbal Response

This is an excellent short film by writer/director Helena R Smith. Lena Headey stars as an anesthesiologist in a hospital when a young man, Martin, is brought in after a devastating car accident.

He is declared brain dead by the other doctors but Dr Megan Pillay (Headey) feels that Martin is still quite alive and can still think and feel. She feels that he is talking to her.

Martin is being prepared for organ harvesting. Dr Pillay tries everything she can to delay the procedure, as she is not quite sure that it is the right time to do it yet.

Dr Smith won an editing award for this film and watching it one can easily see why. The film is tightly edited and moves along briskly without a wasted second.

The acting all around is top-notch, especially Lena Headey's who is quite sensitive in her portrayal of Dr Pillay. Helena Smith, who herself is an anesthesiologist and an ICU physician has written a sensitive, thought-provoking story. This short film is well-worth seeing, and I wish it would be included in some short-film anthologies.