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Open Hearts

Open Hearts is an intense “week in the life” of a medical mission with doctors from around the world working together to heal 12 Haitian children through pediatric heart surgery. From logistical coordination, to the symphony of open heart surgery, this film will arrest your senses and challenge what it looks like to lend a hand. Dr. Jeff Kempf from Akron Children’s Hospital (Ohio, USA), and doctors from the USA, Italy, Haiti, and France, demonstrate a new way of helping as they attempt to complete 12 complicated operations while simultaneously challenging conventional wisdom by building up the staff and facilities at St. Damien’s Hospital (Port-au-Prince, Haiti) to become self sufficient. These unprecedented efforts, spearheaded by Gift of Life and Rotary Club, have enabled St. Damien’s to become the first hospital in Haiti capable of treating children with Heart Disease, have allowed Dr. Alexandra Noisette to become the first Haitian pediatric cardiologist, and represents the only collaboration of charities providing heart surgery in Haiti. “Charity” must change, and this bold reimagination of how charity can work paints a picture of how countries like Haiti can become self sustaining.

  • Travis Pollert
    Director
  • Jacob Kostelli
    Director
  • Travis Pollert
    Producer
  • Joseph Jurecki
    Producer
  • Ken Fogle
    Producer
  • Dr. Jeff Kempf
    Producer
  • Dr. Brittany Potts
    Producer
  • Dr. Jeff Kempf
    Key Cast
  • Dr. Brittany Potts
    Key Cast
  • Ken Fogle
    Key Cast
  • Rob Raylman
    Key Cast
  • Fr. Richard Frechette
    Key Cast
  • Dr. Jacqueline Gautier
    Key Cast
  • Dr. Alexandra Noisette
    Key Cast
  • Dr. Francesco Santoro
    Key Cast
  • Joseph Jurecki
    Editor
  • Jake Kostelli
    Additional Editors
  • Jayson Jaworski
    Additional Editors
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Feature
  • Genres:
    Humanitarian, Medical, Heart Surgery, Documentary, Drama, Non-Profit
  • Runtime:
    59 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    August 10, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    0 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    Haiti, United States
  • Language:
    English, Haitian
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Travis Pollert, Jacob Kostelli

Travis Pollert is a documentary and commercial filmmaker as well as the founder of The Cleveland Film Company. He has worked on countless short-form and commercial projects helping brands to create engaging and authentic stories, often utilizing a documentary style and approach. Some of the brands and platforms that he has worked with include: The LeBron James Family Foundation, Uninterrupted, XBox, 2K, L.L. Bean, Sprite, Cleveland Public Theatre, and Inlet Dance Theatre. Regarding filmmaking Travis says, “my journey has been shaped by amazing people… the quality of which is in no small way what inspires me to be more present with the people and opportunities in my life.” Outside of filmmaking, Travis has a passion for backpacking through the mountains, and has organized many multi-day trips that have introduced people to the outdoors. Travis lives in Cleveland, OH with his wife Elizabeth, a career modern dancer, and their son Brighton.

Jacob Kostelli is a documentary and commercial filmmaker from Cleveland, OH. For the past decade he has worked in media production and visual storytelling creating a range of work that spans documentary, narrative, corporate, and commercial productions. As a filmmaker at the Cleveland Film Company, Jacob was chosen to follow LeBron James through his infamous 2016 championship run for Uninterrupted’s documentary web-series TROPHIES, a series whose production greatly influenced the approach to OPEN HEARTS. He is currently developing a media production team for Sherwin Williams. Jacob lives in Cleveland, OH with his wife Mandi and their two cats.

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Director Statement

We didn’t set out to create a feature film… we were inspired by what we saw along the way, and followed the story where it led us. All of the people we encountered were so thoughtful, caring and - quite frankly - good at what they did, it was hard not to be impressed. The process of making this film was very long. We had never tackled a film of this scope, and had to continuously stretch what we thought we knew about filmmaking and storytelling. Techniques that were time tested for shorter formats didn’t work when we went to use them to tell this story - it was simply too big. And as we would find a new way to do something, it changed how we were approaching our commercial work… the result was that everything we were working on continually got better. This film is very personal for us. It represents the last 4+ years of our own growth, and was an experience that we will never forget. When you’re in the room, watching a child’s heart turn back and forth, and then stop suddenly on command, you’re left with an awe for the precision necessary to conduct such an operation. What impressed us the most was that this team didn’t stop by just helping, just healing a handful of kids. They wanted to empower the Haitians to be able to help themselves.

We are inspired to invest in people in ways that continue giving back. The heroes of our story taught us that, and we hope they inspire others as well.