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Kiss of Life
United Kingdom/France/Canada 2003
London, the present. In the absence of her husband John (an aid worker on assignment in the Balkans), Helen is struggling to cope with the care of her elderly father Pap and two children, 14-year-old Kate and nine-year-old Telly. John calls and she asks if he will be back for her birthday. He is non-committal, explaining that others are counting on him, and they have an angry discussion. John tells his boss that he needs to go home for ten days. There is no transport out of the depot, but he manages to find a driver willing to take him to the border.
Helen takes the children to school. On her way home, distracted by an old Polaroid of her and John in happier times, she is run over at a zebra crossing and seemingly killed. Telly is playing truant and sees the accident. At the exact moment Helen is hit, John's driver swerves to avoid a woman on the road.
The family are told about the accident. Pap tries to call John, but his mobile has been confiscated at a military checkpoint. Helen returns home, cold and frightened. She can see her family but they can't see her....