Second Victims

Neurologist Alexandra is working double shifts in an understaffed department when she makes an error in judgement with disastrous consequences for an eighteen-year-old patient. While grief and recriminations buzz through the hospital and the inconsolable mother searches for someone to blame, Alexandra also becomes entangled in despair and self-doubt. 

This blood-curdling hospital thriller, filmed on location in Denmark at Herlev Hospital, explores the so-called “second victim syndrome”, in which healthcare providers themselves become victims of mental stress and the pressure of a flawed healthcare system after a medical error. With compelling acting, a strong female perspective and intense realism, Second Victims highlights the emotional impact of guilt and the need for compassion, emphasising the fine line between professionalism and human vulnerability. 

In this feature film debut by director Zinnini Elkington, Trine Dyrholm plays the role of mother Camilla. Last year, Dyrholm was the guest of honour at the Northern Film Festival, where she personally received the Award for Special Contribution to Northern Cinema. This year, she can also be seen in Jeanette Nordahl's Beginnings (2025) and Benedikt Erlingsson's latest series The Danish Woman (2025), which will be screened in its entirety at the NoFF. 

Second Victims is screened three times during the festival; the screenings on Friday and Saturday are presented in collaboration with the Assen International Film Festival | Woman & Film, with IFA Head Programmer Hil van der Wal.