Open a Heart: A Six-Part Documentary Series Unveiling the Epic Story of the Human Heart
The heart is the engine of life, the source of the blood vessels, and the strongest muscle in our entire body. It possesses its own “little brain” and a sophisticated electrical conduction system, working tirelessly day and night to adapt to every demand of our body...
Starting October 31, 2022, China’s first medical science documentary focusing on the field of cardiology, “Opening a Heart,” premiered on the Documentary Channel of China Media Group (CCTV-9), with two consecutive episodes aired each night.
Poster for the Documentary "Open Heart"
“Opening a Heart” is another masterpiece crafted with great dedication by the team behind the documentary “Two Hundred Years of Surgery,” released three years after their previous work. Following its broadcast in June 2019, “Two Hundred Years of Surgery” swept nearly all major awards in the documentary industry that year and was hailed by scholars within the field as “the resurgence of Chinese scientific documentaries after years of stagnation.” This recognition further inspired the core creative team to maintain their sustained and in-depth focus on the medical field. Over the past decade of diligent work and creation in this domain, they have been driven by a powerful desire to explore and showcase the human body—a complex and precise “instrument.”
Poster for the Documentary "Open Heart"
Since the 1950s, heart disease has remained the leading cause of death threatening human health. According to projections based on data from the "Report on Cardiovascular Health and Diseases in China 2021," released on June 23, 2022, there are currently 330 million patients with cardiovascular diseases in China, with approximately 550,000 cases of sudden cardiac death occurring annually—a figure equivalent to the population of a medium-sized county town. On the other hand, research and treatment of heart disease stand as a powerful testament to the progress of human medicine. Bold inventions that transcend the boundaries of imagination, along with new materials and devices brought about by the technological revolution, have become a microcosm of the advancements and transformations in society, history, technology, concepts, and emotions over the past century.
Thus, the “heart” became the starting point for the core creative team’s in-depth exploration of the human body’s hidden realms.
Still from the documentary “Opening a Heart”
The documentary series Opening the Heart consists of six 25-minute episodes: “The Pump of Life,” “Blades on the Heart,” “The Coronary Crown,” “Secrets of the Heartbeat,” “Pathways of Blood and Heart,” and “A New Heart.” The series covers the evolution and development of the heart, the history of cardiac surgery, the treatment and prevention of coronary artery disease, cardiac electrophysiology, the treatment and prevention of aortic diseases, and heart transplantation. Viewers will meet Asia’s longest-surviving heart transplant recipient, who has enjoyed 28 years of healthy living; witness China’s first patient to undergo open-heart surgery savoring family happiness; hear from a middle-school teacher who miraculously survived sudden cardiac arrest; follow a charismatic young man who, after replacing his entire aorta and its branches over 14 years due to a rare disease, now dedicates himself to philanthropy and spreading love; and see how a stand-up comedian has regained vitality and returned to the stage after receiving one of China’s first domestically developed artificial hearts. Behind all these real-life stories of public concern, the series highlights the tireless efforts and remarkable contributions of Chinese physicians, as well as the courage and wisdom with which humanity continues to explore the mysteries of the heart.
Wang Yangyang (Wang Shiqi), an artificial heart recipient
Continuing the truth-seeking, fact-based, and revelatory creative style of the documentary *Two Hundred Years of Surgery*, this series takes medicine as its entry point. It progressively unveils the little-known truths about the heart—from the organ as a whole to specific structures within it—highlighting its strength and vulnerability, wonder and ordinariness, precision and imperfections. Each 25-minute episode focuses on a single theme through three to four segments, interweaving case stories, experimental experiences, historical retrospectives, and animated demonstrations to create a brisk pace and rich informational content.
The film also makes new attempts at innovating the format of scientific documentaries. To make the production more international, while enhancing its relatability to audiences, strengthening immersive engagement in exploration, and improving comprehension of scientific knowledge, the film specially invites Li Jianping, Deputy Director of Peking University First Hospital and Director of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, to serve as the lead scientific presenter and participate in select experimental experiences. Furthermore, rather than employing conventional pure animation, the animated sequences draw inspiration from medical virtual reality (VR). By leveraging precise medical models that interact with the presenter within real-world settings, the film integrates virtual and real elements to create an atmosphere imbued with both medical scientific rigor and technological sophistication.
Li Jianping, Deputy Director of Peking University First Hospital and Director of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, served as the scientific keynote speaker.
Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the production team spent two years conducting in-depth visits to 25 renowned cardiovascular hospitals, research institutes, interdisciplinary laboratories, and museums both in China and abroad. They interviewed more than ten leading experts in the field of cardiovascular medicine, including three academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering. The team strove to deconstruct and digest the latest surgical techniques, complex scientific findings, and foundational public health information, presenting them through visual storytelling.
Still from the documentary *Open Heart*
Humanity’s continuous efforts to understand the heart and explore its mysteries have yielded insights that serve not merely to treat disease, but to foster a healthier heart and enhance the vitality of life. Recent research indicates that this goal is well within reach. Cardiovascular health is a key component of the “Healthy China” initiative. The documentary *Opening a Heart* aims to raise public awareness, encouraging people to rethink their understanding of the heart, prioritize cardiac health, and cherish every heartbeat.
Still from the documentary “Open Heart”
Produced by CCTV New Film Discovery Documentary Media, a leading team in China’s scientific documentary production, this film represents another bold challenge and endeavor. Since its establishment, the team has not only upheld the sixty-year legacy of scientific documentary filmmaking pioneered by Beijing Science Film Studio but also actively explored innovative pathways for scientific documentaries in the new era. In recent years, it has consecutively released several phenomenal scientific documentaries, including Scaling the Summit, Two Hundred Years of Surgery, and Mendeleev Is Busy. The team is now poised to release Deep Within the Brain, part of its “Secrets of the Human Body” documentary series.
Author: CCTV New Shadow Discovery Documentary Media