Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalHispanic Heritage MonthIMDb Stars to WatchSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Chernobyl Heart

  • 2003
  • 39m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
815
YOUR RATING
Chernobyl Heart (2003)
DocumentaryShort

This Academy Award-winning documentary takes a look at children born after the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear plant disaster who have been born with a deteriorated heart condition.This Academy Award-winning documentary takes a look at children born after the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear plant disaster who have been born with a deteriorated heart condition.This Academy Award-winning documentary takes a look at children born after the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear plant disaster who have been born with a deteriorated heart condition.

  • Director
    • Maryann DeLeo
  • Stars
    • William Novick
    • Adi Roche
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.8/10
    815
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Maryann DeLeo
    • Stars
      • William Novick
      • Adi Roche
    • 14User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 1 win & 1 nomination total

    Photos

    Top cast2

    Edit
    William Novick
    • Self
    Adi Roche
    • Self
    • Director
      • Maryann DeLeo
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews14

    7.8815
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    mary-131

    Amazing film- Don't miss it

    I just saw this for the second time and it is a truly haunting film. Only about 45 minutes long, I have watched it on HBO once and then recorded it to show to my husband later. It filled me with such sadness and shock that I just had to share the experience. I had no idea that the effects of the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl in 1986 were so devastating and so long lasting. It seems to be that this whole situation and condition of this area is kept rather under wraps and silent. If everybody knew about these people and their lives now, I would hope more could and would be done to help. If you want to be informed, touched and moved very deeply, please watch this documentary.
    10UkieChic

    I loved this documentary!

    I am Ukrainian and have been a past member on mission trips to Ukraine to visit orphanages that house children living with the after-effects of the Chornobyl Nuclear Accident. I have been there, I have seen with my own eyes what these children look like. When seeing the children in the film, I was reminded of orphans that I've dealt with. The documentary accurately shows the conditions these children live in and the disabilities they live with. They have large tumors, thyroid cancer, heart anomalies, cerebral palsy, and many more disabilities. Having been in two asylums very similar to the ones shown in the documentary,I hope the only reason for making this documentary was to ask for help from those watching. I've seen firsthand how these children respond to visitors. Even those that are bedridden smile or giggle when you touch them or hold them. Those that are mobile constantly have their arms outstretched for you to pick them up. Though they have disabilities, they no more of what it means to love than "normal" people do. Hopefully, for their sake, people will watch this film and be inspired to help!!! It doesn't take much to make a difference.
    10Kathlina

    Heartbreaking

    I first heard of this documentary while watching the Academy Awards. I was intrigued, but not enough so to look it up. When it aired on HBO I watched the whole thing and did not manage to hold back my tears. The defects on the people caused by the radiation were devastating to see. It made me wonder how I could ever envy anybody else's life, when compared to these people I have been so blessed. The direction in the movie was amazing, and style was unique. I would recommend this to everyone, but if you do watch it be prepared for some very haunting images that will be sure to stick with you for a long time.

    10/10
    reviewpam

    Chernobyl heart

    I saw this film on HBO this morning and was profoundly affected by it. The helpless and abandon children so lonely and suffering brought me to tears. You want to touch them in some way to ease their pain. I, too, was moved to realize just how blessed I really am. It also frightened me when the filmmaker commented that Chernobyl is the next Chernobyl. That the structure is deteriorating and radio active material that remains within it will soon pose even a greater potential for disaster than the first deadly episode. Is there nothing that can be done to prevent this impending catastrophe? I would greatly appreciate any information that an expert might have regarding this extremely grave situation
    10thesaint80

    Making one realise their own humanity

    To say I was affected by Chernobyl Heart would be putting it mildly. Like many people I imagine, I first viewed Chernobyl Heart on HBO and was reduced to tears at the sight of so many suffering children. It is beyond cliché, however watching children suffer so makes me feel like rubbish for ever complaining about anything in my life. On a positive note, I did begin to involve myself with the Chernobyl Children's Project International, and last Christmas donated money and collected money at my job for their obviously worthwhile cause. Now that I'm back at school, I hope I might continue my work with the organisation. I didn't mean to turn this into a plug for CCPI, however it goes hand in glove with watching such an inspiring film.

    More like this

    Wasp
    7.5
    Wasp
    Harvie Krumpet
    7.9
    Harvie Krumpet
    Two Soldiers
    7.0
    Two Soldiers
    Quiero ser (I want to be...)
    7.2
    Quiero ser (I want to be...)
    Ryan
    7.5
    Ryan
    Twin Towers
    7.4
    Twin Towers
    Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes
    7.9
    Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes
    Freeheld
    7.7
    Freeheld
    The Barbarian Invasions
    7.5
    The Barbarian Invasions
    The Children of Leningradsky
    7.7
    The Children of Leningradsky
    Father and Daughter
    7.8
    Father and Daughter
    Murder on a Sunday Morning
    7.9
    Murder on a Sunday Morning

    Related interests

    Dziga Vertov in Man with a Movie Camera (1929)
    Documentary
    Benedict Cumberbatch in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)
    Short

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Connections
      Featured in The 76th Annual Academy Awards (2004)
    • Soundtracks
      Symphony No 3, Opus 36: Lento e Largo - Tranquillisimo
      Composed by Henryk Mikolaj Górecki (as Henryk Górecki)

      Performed by London Sinfonietta

      Conducted by David Zinman

      Courtesy of Nonesuch Records

      By Arrangement with Warner Strategic Marketing

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ1

    • Where can I find more info about Chernobyl?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 13, 2011 (Japan)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site (Japan)
    • Also known as
      • Сердце Чернобыля
    • Filming locations
      • Chernobyl, Ukraine
    • Production company
      • Downtown TV Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 39m
    • Color
      • Color

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.