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The movie shows the daily routine of a nurse in a Swiss hospital when there are not enough nurses. This is already and will become a huge problem in the future due to the increasing age of the population and the decreasing number of skilled workers such as nurses.

Leonie Benesch is great once again, just like in "Teachers' Lounge" and "September 5".

The movie shows a realistic scenario in a full hospital and is barely stereotypical especially compared to other hospitals movies.

The camera work of Judith Kaufmann is fantastic and displays the physical pressure excellent. It feels like we are walking with Floria through the hospital and observe her like in a documentary.

As a nurse, I can confirm that there are many shifts on many wards just like this. A lot of the work happening between scenes was left out, and a few corners were definitely cut. I work in a different setting, and I have deep respect for every colleague who can handle that kind of work for more than just a few days. It could be such a beautiful profession - if it weren't being destroyed by greed, ignorance, and systemic violence. Sadly, many people still have no idea what it really takes to keep going.

Fewer and fewer people are even interested in learning this kind of work anymore.

Good luck trying to fix that with AI....

This film review is dedicated to nurse Miri and male nurse Jörg, who selflessly supported me during those difficult days in March a few years ago. Unforgotten and with great gratitude!

The Swiss film by Petra VOLPE follows nurse Floria Lind (Leonie BENESCH) during her late shift at a hospital near Basel. The ward where Floria works is chronically understaffed. On top of that, someone is absent due to illness. Selflessly, the young nurse tries to do justice to her diverse patients, some of whom are terminally ill. Like a thriller, events escalate during this particular late shift and culminate in a special action.

Making the late shift the subject of a film was a wise decision by the director. The patients are still awake and venting their despair. The doctors and nurses of the day are exhausted and are clamoring for their long-awaited end of the day. This special atmosphere is captured brilliantly by the quasi-documentary film, which is in fact a stylized monument to all the self-sacrificing people in hospitals around the world.

Hamburg-born actress Leonie BENESCH (2023 EUROPEAN FILM AWARD: nomination for THE TEACHER'S LOUNGE) plays this role - as usual - phenomenally well. This actress has the potential to appeal to a global audience. She brings an extraordinary radiance and inner truth to her characters - whether in television series such as BABYLON BERLIN and THE SWARM or in cinematic masterpieces such as THE WHITE RIBBON, THE TEACHER'S LOUNGE, and SEPTEMBER 5. It's regrettable that former festival director Carlo CHATRIAN had neither a competition slot available for THE TEACHER'S LOUNGE in 2023 nor one for SEPTEMBER 5 in 2024. The fact that the then BERLINALE director failed to recognize the potential of these performances by Leonie BENESCH remains a tragic oversight. However, it's a bad sign that the new BERLINALE director, Tricia TUTTLE, was also unable to find a place for the third consecutive Leonie BENESCH classic in the Berlin Film Festival's competition. Not a good prospect for the future of the BERLINALE!

This film from German-speaking Switzerland is something truly special that shouldn't be missed! Be sure to see it on the big screen, if possible!

What a ride. More importantly, what a REAL, HARD-HITTING ride. At just 90 minutes, the film not only manages to strike an emotional chord but also tells the stories of so many people suffering various illness, through the POV of Floria (Leonie Benesch). That too, while carefully placing a spotlight on the real-world crisis of nurse shortage. Floria's really committed to her job, and it's shown to us through her interactions with several patients in the ward, including sweet ones, stubborn ones, depressing / terminally ill ones, and even the "entitled" ones. Director Petra Volpe closely follows Floria as she navigates a rather hectic evening, filled with spontaneous requests, immense pressure of follow-ups, and even having to deal with personal dilemmas.

The beauty of the storytelling lies in giving us tidbits of information on Floria and her patients, making the each incidental revelation all the more impactful. Leonie Benesch puts in a fantastic performance -- one that's sure to linger in my head for a very long time for the subtleties alone. And as much as I hate being physically at a hospital, the film aggravated that feeling with its solid sound design and cinematography (characterized by long shots). This unprecedented health crisis is alarming, and I hope the world is taking notes. Late Shift, for me, is cinema mirroring life.

A very realistic depiction of the everyday professional life of a nurse. The atmosphere in the film is excellent, so much anxiety, stress and lack of time, that it often causes a raw mixture of emotions in the viewer. From anger, tension, to sympathy with the main character and hope for people. An excellent choice of characters, where each, in their own way, shows a certain type of human character and each, in their own way, affects the main protagonist. The camera is exceptional and through the entire film fantastically portrays the events almost exclusively following the main character. Dialogues are short, very realistic and meaningful. Leonie Benesh, in the role of the nurse who carries the plot of the film, is fascinating. And the rest of the actors, in the roles of patients, are up to the task. Although, in several moments, I had to collect my thoughts, due to too many memories that certain scenes evoked, the film is really excellent. Perhaps it is not for those who carry too much trauma from the hospital, because there is too little fiction and too much reality.

This is an excellent movie that peeks the door to the challenging and often unseen world of medical workers.

It shattered me into a thousand little pieces, because this is what really happens.

I'm not a healthcare professional, but you don't have to be one to understand the incredible work doctors do every single day. The director managed to show us a glimpse of their daily reality with honesty and care.

Thanks to every doctor who chose this difficult path to be there when we need it most.

And the original title, Heldin - meaning heroine - fits the film much better. Because real heroes don't wear capes. They wear blue scrubs and a pair of worn white sneakers...

• Overall Impression

Heldin offers a raw, realistic portrayal of a single shift in the life of a nurse. Without dramatization or sensationalism, the film immerses us in the intense, high-pressure environment of a hospital, showing the weight of responsibility that nurses silently carry every day.

• What Worked

One of the film's greatest strengths is its subtlety. The external pressures from the nurse's personal life - outside the hospital walls - are never explicitly explained, yet deeply felt. Through expressions, pauses, and quiet moments, we understand the emotional toll of balancing life and profession.

The film gently reminds us of life's fragility, and the importance of finding moments of joy - especially for those whose jobs revolve around death and suffering. That silent contrast makes the message even more powerful.

• A Story Grounded in Reality

Rather than building toward dramatic peaks, the narrative follows a steady, linear rhythm - much like real life. That structure, far from being a flaw, reinforces the realism of the film. It doesn't seek to entertain with plot twists, but to resonate with truth. And in that, it absolutely succeeds.

• Final Verdict

Heldin doesn't shout - it whispers. But its message lingers long after the credits roll. A quiet, deeply human film that honors the emotional and psychological layers of nursing with honesty and grace.w.

This is one of those about the plight of frontline workers, nurses this time, very much like The Teachers' Lounge actually. And going by the data provided before the end credits it's meant as a public service announcement about the shortage of the nursing staff and the reluctance to go on in this profession. Which is understandable, I couldn't do it.

I found The Teachers' Lounge much more affecting though. Which is not to say that this is not as good, I guess going by the rave reviews I was expecting to be blown away, and I wasn't. It's a quiet little drama actually, very subdued but also resolute in what it's trying to do. I can't imagine the work that Leonie Benesch has had to put in to learn all those mannerisms, and execute all those gestures with the sure hand of a seasoned nurse. It also speaks to the dexterity that nurses in general, good nurses acquire. Or maybe it's something innate, maybe not everybody can do it, no matter how hard they tried. I know I'm very clumsy and I just could not move like that. And this is just the physicality, never mind the mental strength to sustain the pressure and the constant, daily frustration that interacting with these people and the system brings.

And I wish hospitals in my country looked like this and nurses acted like this and this passes for basic care under strained conditions but really sounds like excellent care for others less fortunate. That and the fact that we're losing thousands of doctors and nurses to Germany, Britain and so on. And they're short staffed, what about us? So maybe that's why I am less sympathetic, although on a human level Floria deserves all our sympathies.

This film hit me deeply - not just as a viewer, but as someone who has seen parts of this world up close, though never from the inside. It's a quietly devastating portrait of a healthcare system where staff are constantly overwhelmed, and patients often reduced to numbers. The film is restrained in its tone but unflinching in its realism.

For medical professionals, especially those who have worked in underfunded hospitals, this might feel less like cinema and more like déjà vu. A person close to me worked in multiple hospitals over the years and immediately recognized the emotional detachment that can become necessary when death is a regular occurrence - not because you stop caring, but because the system gives you no room to act otherwise. For them, the film was not emotional but eerily accurate - a reflection of shifts they'd rather forget.

But for viewers like me - those who've only seen the burnout and emotional toll secondhand - the film was powerful, even overwhelming at times. I found myself on the verge of tears multiple times, not only out of empathy for the patients but also out of frustration and deep respect for the caregivers who navigate this impossible environment.

The acting is superbly naturalistic, with a rawness that serves the film's themes perfectly. The sound design and score are minimal but poignant, never pushing emotion but allowing it to surface organically. This is not a feel-good film - far from it - but it's an essential one. It asks not only how we treat the sick and dying, but how we treat those who care for them.

If you're looking for comfort, look elsewhere. But if you're ready to see what "broken system" truly means, this film will stay with you.

This attempt at making a movie has no story, no character development, no interesting dialog of any kind, no music (just some really annoying, repetitive plastic noise probably made with some children's toy and a cheap keyboard) and no interesting cinematography. You'll end up asking yourself: who the heck thought it a good idea to spend money on this total nothingburger? There's literally nothing here, it couldn't even qualify as a bottom 10 percent Grey's Anatomy episode, and they made 448 of those!

Please folks, let's not waste time and resources on drivel like this, there must be some moviemaker with at least a tiny idea and some marginal amount of talent out there.

Empathy! This nurse's empathy really stood out, even in the most chaotic moments. Yes, there's a huge workload and not enough staff or enough minutes, but she still manages to offer precious seconds to make her patients feel seen and heard.

She stays calm, while everything is coming at her nonstop and, at same time, she manages to remain human, to be as kind as possible in those moments.. You can definitely see that even if when she's overwhelmed, she still remains a decent human being.

I felt like I was there with her the whole time, never bored.. if anything, I could feel the urgency and the stress and I was rooting for her to pull everything off.

It also made me a bit sad because in my country hospital stays are nothing like this. Hospitals don't have as many features and useful tech I saw here and most of the medical staff have lost their empathy over time, probably because it's tough to survive in this environment without shutting off emotionally. Not to mention that in reality the procedures aren't always followed as carefully as this nurse tried to do in the movie.

In the end I just want to say I admire everyone who chooses this career path, stays compassionate and does their best despite all the challenges.

From Switzerland comes Heldin, directed by Swiss Petra Biondina Volpe and starring the wonderful Leonie Benesch.

The film takes us through a chaotic shift at a hospital, playing the role of nurse Fiora. The film is an intense drama with thriller overtones, brilliantly directed and even better performed by its lead character.

It's a fast-paced film that unfolds with the frenzy of a chaotic day in an emergency room. The film is intense, captivating, heartbreaking, and empathetic. It explores a sensitive character overwhelmed by the chaos of a difficult and agonizing workday. Leonie Benesch is the pure substance of the film, and between its successes and its flaws, the actress carries the entire weight on her shoulders with a character who is simultaneously human, overwhelmed, and warm, creating a complete connection between the protagonist and the audience.

We become Fliora's shadow, and this journey is intelligently guided by the director, who doesn't skimp on delivering pure tension that's at times tiring and frenetic. Petra Volpe's direction is astute and uncompromising, taking you from one extreme to the other without pause, making you live and feel the same as the protagonist with well-executed and thoughtful direction. You set off on a path and it doesn't take long for you to climb into the rhythm, already on the cusp of its final climax.

A great film that deserves every moment we give it. It's true that it's not perfect and has moments where it seems to lose its way, but the result is undoubtedly satisfying. The film manages to rise from its lowest moments and further elevate the intensity of its plot with the cleverness of knowing where to insert the most tense moments, accompanied by a precise and complementary soundtrack.

It's a film that won't bore you and will make you feel the message that the film doesn't hide about the shortcomings of the healthcare system and, in turn, about the resilience of its true protagonists.

"Late Shift" delivers a gripping and heartfelt portrayal of the exhausting reality faced by hospital staff, carried brilliantly by Leonie Benesch's very strong performance. While marketed as crime/thriller, the film is firmly a drama - there's no real mystery or crime, just raw, authentic human struggle.

I wasn't sure whether to watch this movie at first. I had read the synopsis, which simply said it was about a nurse's night shift. As someone who has spent many hours in hospitals due to the illnesses of my family members, I've grown more emotionally fragile when it comes to hospital-related topics. Still, I decided to watch it-and I'm glad I did. Before the movie, I felt tense; afterwards, I felt more thankful.

I once had a high school teacher who said, "If people visited hospitals when they were upset, they would overcome their unhappiness more easily." I believe she was right.

As for the movie-it definitely deserves all the praise. Even a 10/10 rating on IMDb might not be enough. The performance of Leonie Benesch (Floria) is extraordinary. Most of the scenes focus on her, meaning she carries much of the film's emotional and narrative weight. To hold the audience's attention for 91 minutes almost single-handedly is incredibly difficult-and she succeeds with grace and intensity. Credit is also due to Petra Volpe for both her direction and screenplay.

After watching this film, I found myself feeling even more empathy toward nurses and medical staff. Yes, patients may have valid complaints at times, but caring for someone's health is not a standard job-it demands immense dedication and emotional sacrifice.

As I watched, I also thought about the COVID-19 pandemic. Medical workers were under tremendous pressure, often risking their own lives. Some gave everything-and lost their lives in the fight. While many people appreciated their efforts, sadly, some others-like fearful neighbors-rejected them out of ignorance and fear of infection. This film gently reminds us that patients can sometimes be overly judgmental, unfair, or harsh toward healthcare workers who are doing their best under pressure.

If I were Minister of Education, I would include this film in the school curriculum for students aged 13 and older. It teaches valuable lessons about the realities of hospital life-the stress, the responsibilities, the human side of healthcare-and why we should be more tolerant, patient, and understanding when we are in medical settings.

I watched the movie without blinking, fully engaged from start to finish. I absolutely recommend it.

Late Shift is an engaging interactive thriller that keeps you on edge from start to finish. The branching choices feel organic, giving real weight to the story and making you question every decision. Joe Sowerbutts delivers a convincing performance as Matt, pulling you into his character's moral dilemmas. While the multiple endings mean replay value is high, some narrative paths feel a bit rushed. Still, the mix of cinematic storytelling and player agency makes it stand out as one of the better FMV experiences.

The morning after watching this movie, I went to work with more motivation. Because I saw the worst possible job in my life in this movie and I thank God a thousand times for the job I have. There are expectant people in every field and profession, but an expectant patient who is dying, and that too because of cancer, is a disaster and I cannot stand this job at all.

I have a healthcare worker in my family and I learned some German in college, so watched this movie intensely and think it is a good one. However, it did leave me puzzled at the end about its purpose. This was clearly not a entertainment type movie. If they tried to show a healthcare crisis, then they are too late. Western societies have been prioritizing wars over healthcare and education for many years now. I calculated that the nurse had about 12 patients during her dramatic shift, but only because another nurse called in sick. Thus, their normal staffing ratio would have been 8 patients per nurse, which is rather typical for hospitals here in the US. If staffing ratios used to be lighter in Europe, then maybe it is news to them, but not unusual for us here. So the workload in the movie is an exception and not representative of the typical one. Mind you that there was also a nursing intern that provided some relief and potentially could have been better managed for greater efficiency. I found it strange that the nurse was responsible for transporting the patients around the building. Perhaps, European hospitals will catch up sooner than later that professional nursing skill is better to keep on the floor and have other aids on staff to take care of moving the patients.

The movie does a good job of showing the stress and demands of the nursing job, but that by itself doesn't really require a movie to portray. Other than that, the acting is good by the main character and the supporting cast showing various types of patients.