Cuori is an Italian television series directed by Riccardo Donna and broadcast on Rai 1 starting in 2021. Set in the late 1960s, it follows the early development of heart transplant techniques and the artificial heart in the cardiac surgery wards of the Molinette hospital in Turin. The story interweaves the dreams, ambitions and love affairs of the doctors and nurses working there, combining medical drama with personal storylines.
Plot and setting
The story unfolds at the end of the 1960s, a period when heart transplantation was still in its infancy and the artificial heart was being developed. The Molinette hospital in Turin serves as the main backdrop, where cardiac surgeons, cardiologists, anaesthetists and nurses pursue ambitious medical goals while their private lives become entangled. The series balances the scientific challenges of the era with the emotional relationships between its characters.
Characters and cast
The series centres on a group of hospital staff, among them the renowned cardiac surgeon Cesare Corvara, played by Daniele Pecci, and his protégé Alberto Ferraris, played by Matteo Martari. Their stories, together with those of the cardiologist Delia Brunello and other colleagues, shape the narrative across its seasons. Characters move between romantic partnerships, professional rivalries and family responsibilities over the course of the story.