SAFF: The Heart is a Muscle

This film is also showing at our sister cinema, Ritz Cinemas

The Story

Set against the tense yet vibrant backdrop of Cape Town’s Cape Flats, The Heart Is a Muscle is a gripping humanist crime drama exploring masculinity, fatherhood and generational trauma.

A young father’s world is shattered when his five-year-old son disappears during a family gathering, triggering panic, rage and unresolved memories from his own childhood. As desperation mounts, he becomes entangled in a dangerous confrontation with a local extortionist, forcing him to confront both his past and the violence that surrounds him.

Directed by Imran Hamdulay, the film moves beyond the conventions of a crime thriller to deliver a deeply intimate portrait of accountability, healing and emotional resilience.

South Africa’s official submission for the 2025 Academy Awards, the film has earned major international recognition, including the Ecumenical Jury Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival.

Rating

Unclassified 15+

Duration

87 min

Country

South Africa

Language

Afrikaans

Director

Imran Hamdulay

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