Science in the Cinema Presents A Broken Beat
Hosted by the University of Calgary's Cumming School of Medicine (CSM), Science in the Cinema brings together science and popular culture in a fun and engaging way.
A Broken Beat is a short film based on the lived experience of a family whose child was born with congenital heart defect. Told from the parents' perspective, it elaborates the dramatic challenges they face after receiving this diagnosis.
A Broken Beat is a short film based on the lived experience of a family whose child was born with congenital heart defect. Told from the parents' perspective, it elaborates the dramatic challenges they face after receiving this diagnosis.
After the film, an expert panel will lead the audience in a discussion and Q&A about the experience of a family whose child was born with a congenital heart defect.
Presented by the University of Calgary's Libin Cardiovascular Institute, hosted in partnership with the Calgary Public Library.
Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2026
Location: Calgary Central Library, 800 3 St SE, Calgary, AB
Doors Open: 5:00 pm
Movie Starts: 5:30 pm
Discussion: Immediately following the screening
About the moderator
Carmina Albertine Isidoro is a PhD student in the lab of Dr. Justin Deniset. Her research explores the role of pericardial macrophages in mesothelial-to-mesenchymal transition - a process believed to be implicated in excessive scar formation after a heart attack. She is the president of the Libin Cardiovascular Trainee Organization.
Presented by the University of Calgary's Libin Cardiovascular Institute, hosted in partnership with the Calgary Public Library.
Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2026
Location: Calgary Central Library, 800 3 St SE, Calgary, AB
Doors Open: 5:00 pm
Movie Starts: 5:30 pm
Discussion: Immediately following the screening
About the moderator
Carmina Albertine Isidoro is a PhD student in the lab of Dr. Justin Deniset. Her research explores the role of pericardial macrophages in mesothelial-to-mesenchymal transition - a process believed to be implicated in excessive scar formation after a heart attack. She is the president of the Libin Cardiovascular Trainee Organization.
About the panelists
Dr. Erika Vorhies is a Pediatric Cardiologist currently working at the Alberta Children’s Hospital and is an Associate Clinical Professor at the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary. She completed her Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship at the University of Michigan, followed by an additional training in Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care and Pulmonary Hypertension at the C.S Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan and Denver Children’s Hospital in Colorado. Her research interests include the diagnosis and management of pediatric pulmonary hypertension.
Michelle Keir was born in Windsor, Ontario. She moved to Ottawa where she completed an undergraduate journalism degree at Carleton University and her MD at the University of Ottawa. She then completed Internal Medicine and Adult Cardiology residencies at the University of Saskatchewan where she concurrently completed her Masters degree in Community Health, Epidemiology, and Population Science. She then went on to Fellowships in Adult Congenital Heart Disease at the University of Toronto and Echocardiography at the University of Calgary. She worked in Calgary at the Southern Alberta Adult Congenital Heart Clinic at the Peter Lougheed Centre since 2017. Research interests include: complex adult congenital heart disease, aortopathy, cardiac disorders of pregnancy, mixed methods and health systems research.
Janine Kirk was born and raised in Berlin, Germany, and moved to Canada 2010 after finishing university and achieving a bachelor’s of art degree in communication. She is a stay-at-home mom with a passion for art and film.
She discovered her passion for film at the age of 12 and earned her first supporting role in the German TV mini-series 'The Swine' with Götz George (1995). After moving to Canada, she started working in various projects in the Canadian film industry from short films to TV shows and movie productions, and landed a role in 'Fargo', the TV movie 'Finding A Killer' (US ‘Murder Runs In The Family’), and plays the lead in 'A Broken Beat'.
With the ever so changing industry and for the love of independent film making, Janine started Peak & Pine Productions. Creating meaningful content that speaks to a wide and broad audience, touching their hearts, is the focal point of their projects. Janine's debut film 'A BROKEN BEAT' was inspired by a very personal experience. Her daughter was born with a heart defect which motivated her to share it with the world to bring more awareness and knowledge about this condition. She wrote, directed and produced this short film as a passion project very dear to her heart and as a tribute to all the families out there in similar situations, as well as to all the amazing surgeons, doctors and nurses.
Thank you for your continued support and interest in SITC!
As we strive to offer free community screenings and engaging discussions with our researchers, clinicians, and experts, we want to hear from you.
Submit your movie suggestions and health topics here.