Entertainment
22 August, 2026
Valve fight hits screen
A TRUE story about a recalled mechanical heart valve and a decades-long search for accountability is coming to the screen in Cairns, brought to life by a predominantly Far North Queensland cast and crew.
‘Tick, Tick, Tick’ is a 10-minute proof-of-concept short film loosely based on the experiences of writer and co-producer Peter Bartels, who underwent open-heart surgery and received a mechanical heart valve at 21.
The production was a finalist in the 2026 AACTA Proof initiative and is being filmed across Cairns over five days, with scenes at Screen Queensland Studios, a house in Edge Hill, Cairns Museum and Guyala Cafe on the Esplanade.
Co-producer Ashleigh Lawrence said the project was conceived as a proof of concept for a potential feature film.
“So, Tick Tick Tick is a medical-legal drama thriller. That’s probably the best way to categorise it. It’s loosely based on Peter’s life story,” she said.
Mr Bartels said his valve was later recalled, but he was not notified until 1996.
“Mine had fractured on one leg of the strut and there were about eight or 10 pieces that had been ejected from the valve – and those fragments went through my body,” he said.
Mr Bartels said he missed a class action by about two weeks because of the delay in notifying him and subsequently found a lawyer in Houston, Texas to pursue his own case.
“We didn’t go to trial, but we won the case against them. So it was settled out of court,” he said.
However, Mr Bartels said compensation was not what ultimately motivated him to tell the story.
“No, because for me it wasn’t about money. I wanted someone to be held accountable,” he said.
“This has driven me for 10 or 12 years, to want to tell the story because I don’t think anyone has actually been held accountable.”
The film follows Paul Bradley, played by Barry McGinley, as he discovers the heart valve intended to save his life has become a threat and joins forces with a Texan trial lawyer.
Ms Lawrence plays Paul’s wife Sarah Bradley, while the cast also includes Zen Hunter, Michael Anderson, Igor Bulanov, David Nash and Cath Willacy.
Ms Lawrence said aside from Mr Bartels, who is based on the Gold Coast, and the editor Charlotte (surname withheld), the cast and crew were Cairns or North Queensland locals.
“Many have completed the Screen Queensland film-intensive script-to-screen program, including myself, which was funded by the government,” she said.
The production has seven cast members and about 15 to 16 crew, with scenes including the recreation of an operating theatre.
Ms Lawrence also raised concerns about the future of regional screen production amid potential Screen Queensland funding cuts, saying government support was important for emerging practitioners.
“I think you know, similar to what happened at the Gold Coast, that we need government funding initially to get things going before it can be self-sufficient,” she said.
Mr Bartels said the project received $65,000 in funding and in-kind support, comprising $20,000 cash from AACTA and Screen Queensland, $15,000 in camera equipment from Sony/Panavision and $30,000 in post-production from The Post Lounge.
The completed film is expected to premiere at the AACTA Festival on the Gold Coast in February 2027. The team is also seeking further funding through the Australian Cultural Fund.
