By: Gerome Alvarez
Filmmaker Chris Dela Cruz first stepped into a makeshift operating room in a war-torn hospital, knowing he was not just making another documentary. He was witnessing something remarkable: a pediatric heart surgeon working under difficult conditions to save children’s lives, one tiny heart at a time.
His five-year journey has culminated in Tiny Hearts, a feature-length documentary that follows Dr. William Novick and the Global Cardiac Alliance as the organization performs heart surgeries for children in some of the world’s most challenging environments.
A Mission Without Borders
The documentary spans seven countries—including Lebanon, Iraq, Ukraine, and the Democratic Republic of Congo—and captures the reality of delivering medical care in regions facing significant challenges due to conflict and instability. For Dr. Novick, the mission is simple yet profoundly significant.
“We go where the need is,” Dr. Novick explains in the film. “That is the only compass that matters.”
The Global Cardiac Alliance focuses on children born with congenital heart defects in areas where such specialized care would otherwise be difficult to access. In many regions, a child’s survival depends on whether international medical teams can effectively navigate the logistics of bringing advanced cardiac surgery to under-resourced hospitals.
Beyond Observation: Total Immersion
Dela Cruz, a Writers Guild of America member and former video editor, did not approach this project as a typical observer. Instead, he embedded himself within the medical missions, gaining access to operating rooms, intensive care units, and the emotional landscape of families facing unimaginable fears.
“I did not want to just observe—I wanted to immerse myself,” Dela Cruz reflects. “That meant being in the ICU, breathing the same air, feeling the urgency of every heartbeat. The emotional weight of it. The moral responsibility.”
This approach required significant personal sacrifice. Dela Cruz not only contributed financially to the project but also dedicated five years of his life to following these medical missions across conflict zones. The result is a documentary that captures both the technical precision required for pediatric heart surgery and the human drama unfolding in hospitals operating under difficult conditions.
The Reality of Crisis Medicine
Tiny Hearts deliberately avoids dramatization, instead presenting the unfiltered reality of performing complex surgeries in overstretched hospitals. The film documents the constant challenges medical teams face: equipment shortages, unstable power supplies, and the ever-present threat of conflict disrupting critical procedures.
The documentary reveals how each surgery becomes a test of not just medical skill, but logistics, teamwork, and unwavering determination. These settings demand that success depends as much on flexibility and resourcefulness as it does on surgical expertise.
A Call to Action
For Dela Cruz, the documentary represents more than just filmmaking—it is advocacy wrapped in storytelling.
“This is not just a documentary. It is a plea for attention,” he emphasizes. “These children are real. The stories matter. And if this film helps save even one more life, then everything I gave up was worth it.”
Musical Collaboration
An inspiring musical collaboration enhances the documentary’s emotional weight. Grammy Award-winning producer Philip Lawrence created original music for the film, with additional contributions from singer-songwriter Christina Perri. The score, composed by Edmund Butt and Benjamin Wallfisch, complements the powerful visual storytelling, while Michael Lehmann Boddicker handles audio post-production.
Festival Circuit Ahead
Tiny Hearts is scheduled to premiere at major film festivals throughout 2025, marking the culmination of Dela Cruz’s dedicated project. The film aims to raise global awareness about pediatric healthcare inequalities in war-torn regions and highlight the important work being done by organizations like the Global Cardiac Alliance.
The documentary prepares for its festival debut, standing as a testament to both the dedication of medical professionals working in challenging environments and a filmmaker’s commitment to bringing the stories to light. A world often overwhelmed by conflict and crisis finds in Tiny Hearts something hopeful: care delivered through skill, compassion, and the belief that every child’s life is worth saving.
