A real South African state hospital, a storyline based on medical truths and a compelling story that depicts the intertwined and often chaotic lives of medical staff.
This is what awaits viewers when kykNET’s brand new medical sequel, Heart beatfinally hits the box office tonight (July 18).
“It is full of intrigue, tension and love stories,” Christo Davids, who plays the character of Sollie and directed part of the series, told RNews during the series’ launch on Monday.
A string of heavyweights can be seen in this series, including Dawid Minnaar, Leandie du Randt, Simoné Pretorius, Marlee van der Merwe, Jacques Bessenger, David Louw and Rika Sennett. Christel van den Bergh, Carla Classen, Renate Stuurman and Oros Mampofu can also be seen in the series.
The series is a compelling medical sequel that follows the love and suffering of a team of doctors at a state hospital. It was challenging to shoot, says Christo, but with each challenge he simply enjoyed the process more.
It was also the last series the late Franci Swanepoel worked on before her death last year.
Leandie thinks back wistfully to the last scene she had with Franci, who played the role of her mother Heart beat interpreted, did. These were also the last scenes that Franci was a part of.
“How privileged I was not only to be able to act with her, but to be able to do her last scene with her,” said Leandie.
“Franci was incredible. She rarely needed more than one shot, she was always prepared. She brought light – always had time for a joke and a smoke.”
Harold Hölscher and Christo Davids are the directors of Heart beat a series with a total of 178 actors. This is one of the largest casts that a kykNET series has ever had.
The hospital scenes were filmed in halls and theaters at the Solomon Stix Morewa Memorial Hospital and at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.
Medical cases that form part of the various storylines are based on real events. Furthermore, a team of doctors and medical experts acted as consultants for the drama and trained nurses helped with the filming of the operation scenes to make sure that they were portrayed as realistically as possible.
The series also features nursing professionals and medical doctors.
“Many of the people who were involved in this series are people who do this for a living,” said Christo.
Zoë Laband is the screenwriter, with dr. Andrew Breslin who ensured medical accuracy in the text.
Dozens of familiar faces will enter over the course of the series Heart beat featured, including Arno Marais, Thulani Mtsweni, Susan Coetzer, Vusi Thanda, Esmerelda Bihl, Zetske van Pletzen, Elma Postma, Francois Jacobs and Bouwer Bosch.
- Heart beat starts on Tuesday 18 July at 20:00 on kykNET (DStv channel 144) and will also be available on Catch Up.
Watch a video of it here Heart beat ‘s introduction:
