‘The Heart Is a Muscle’ Director on Family, Fatherhood and Moving From Generational ‘Trauma’ to ‘Healing’ in South African Oscar Entry

After launching last year in Berlin and being tapped as South Africa’s official entry for the international feature Oscar race, “The Heart Is a Muscle” comes home to South Africa this week, where it screens out of competition at the Joburg Film Festival alongside a nationwide theatrical release on March 6.

The film was written and directed by debut director Imran Hamdulay and produced by Hamdulay, Brett Michael Innes, Khosie Dali, Lesley-Ann Brandt and Adam Thal. Starring Keenan Arrison and Melissa De Vries, alongside Loren Loubser, Dean Marais, Ridaa Adams, Danny Ross, Troy Paulse and Lincoln Van Wyk, it’s being repped globally by Mmm Film Sales.

The story begins with a scene that taps into every parent’s worst fear, when a five-year-old child wanders off from a family birthday party. A desperate search for the boy ensues, and when he turns up unharmed several hours later — playfully assuming…