Midnight Family

A portrait of a family operating a private ambulance service in Mexico City. The saving of lives happens in parallel with the struggle for subsistence. The members of the family try not to lose their jobs and fall apart despite horrendous eating habits, lack of time, corrupt cops and patients who cannot or do not want to pay for their services. Outwardly, Midnight Family is a formally compact action thriller with a lot of adrenaline-fuelled rides through the congested streets of the city at night. On another level, the film employs numerous allusions to gently compose a complex picture of the healthcare system, which is teetering on the verge of collapse due to corruption, overloaded hospitals and a lack of medical personnel. Though it is the only part that takes place during the day, the film’s epilogue does not bring relief and hope, but rather only the beginning of the next cycle, which, without the necessary systemic changes, will be just as devastating as the one before. 85% (10/11/2020)