Fifty years after the first heart was successfully transplanted from one human to another, you can now see how these events unfolded in a new docudrama. In Hartstog, the human drama surrounding the events that took place on 3 December 1967 is revealed in three parallel storylines by screenwriter Deon Opperman: Firstly, that of the Washkansky-family, anxiously awaiting a heart donor for the seriously ill Louis; the Darvalls, who suffer a tragic loss in an accident and of course Dr Chris Barnard and his team at the hospital, who made it all happen.
André Velts directs this docudrama, which features a star-studded cast. Award-winning actor Carel Nel steps into the shoes (and scrubs) of Dr Chris Barnard, while his wife Aletta is played by Quinne Brown. Jacques Bessenger is Dr Barnard’s surgeon-brother, Marius.
If you’ve always wanted to know more about the world’s first heart transplant, be sure to catch Hartstog on ShowMax. It’s a story of heartfelt passion, broken hearts and hope that shines a light on a piece of proudly South-African history which changed the world.
