About: A man is admitted to the ER at the National Hospital in Copenhagen after having collided with a royal stag. His condition is critical – he is in a coma. His past is mysterious. 10 years earlier he had lost his memory after having been assaulted – by a royal stag! It is impossible to find any information on him, which is why he is given the name John Doe.
His situation arouses the interest of a reporter who was doing a television program about the ambulance services and therefore was present in the unit which transported John Doe to the hospital with cameras rolling – and suddenly he becomes the unintentional star in a reality show with a countdown to day 40. This is the day the hospital staff will switch off the respirator if John Doe has not come out of his coma.
The collision with the royal stag arouses John’s dormant memory, and in a fragmented stream of consciousness he relives his life over a period of 40 days. He is also able to hear short sequences of dialogue – three distinct and very different women’s voices belonging to his doctor, his nurse and the reporter. Especially the voice and loving care of his nurse gives him the strength to hold on, while he relives his traumatic life which has played out in both Scandinavia and in the Middle East.
The plot evolves on two parallel tracks – John’s story over a period of 60 years (1952-2012) and the staff’s commentary in real time, divided into 40 days.
