THE HEART IS A MUSCLE (South Africa) – One Time Screening

At a barbecue with friends, Ryan’s five year old son goes missing. Taking place over the course of a weekend, this sparks a series of incidents which puts a strain on Ryan, his friendships and his marriage. The Heart Is a Muscle is a humanist drama about parenthood, friendships and a man learning that in order to be a better father and husband, he must first learn to forgive himself for his past actions.

The film is South Africa’s official submission for the International Feature Film category at the 2026 Academy Awards. It was an official selection of the Berlin International Film Festival, where it won the Ecumenical Jury Prize, as well as the Sydney Film Festival and the Cairo International Film Festival.