Described by director Loira Limbal as “a love letter to single mothers and caregivers,” “Through the Night” takes us inside a 24-hour daycare center in New Rochelle, NY. The documentary focuses on Deloris “Nunu” Hogan, who has spent over two decades taking care of children alongside her husband at Dee’s Tots Daycare.
“I see a lot of parents come in and break down. They don’t want to do this, but they need to work and take care of their family. This is the way the world is set up at this point,” Nunu observes. “Through the Night” helps contextualize the experiences of these parents by zeroing in on two mothers who send their children to Nunu: one working the overnight shift at a hospital and another holding down three jobs to support her family.
“I never really thought of overnight childcare until I had to use it,” a mother explains.
“Through the Night” is a tender portrait of a different kind of family. Yes, Nunu is paid for her services, but her love for these children, and theirs for her, is undeniable. She’s not just keeping them safe and fed — no small feat with so many kids under her care — she’s also forming deep emotional bonds with them. Running Dee’s Tots is so much more than a job for Nunu. It’s her calling. Running the daycare has taken a toll on her physical health, marriage, and relationship with her own kids, but it seems unimaginable for her to ever give it up. She is there for these babies and kids when their parents, many of whom are single moms, can’t be, ensuring that they are well taken care of, and equally importantly, well loved, in their absence. Dee’s Tots is a community that’s founded on and governed with love.
With “Through the Night,” Limbal told us she hopes to add “complexity to the national conversation about issues that affect working class families and the working poor by centering the experiences of women and children of color.” The doc is an affecting look into daily life at Nunu’s daycare, but it also paints a broader picture of a country and economy that make it so difficult to survive, nevermind thrive, and desperately require a major overhaul.
“Through the Night” is now screening in virtual cinemas.
