“American Cancer Story” is a poignant, new coming-of-age short film José Padilha wishes he didn’t have to make.
Inspired by horrifying data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), attributing firearms as the leading cause of child and teen fatalities, the film links gun violence and pediatric cancer in an emotional storyline about a young girl who beats cancer only to face a school shooting.
Change the Ref (CTF) released the film on AmericanCancerStory.com. The website asks viewers to share the film and demand urgent change from politicians and lawmakers. It is also raising funds for 10 pediatric cancer charities. The dramatic 90-second film is also running as a public service announcement on a variety of television networks.
Patricia and Manuel Oliver, co-founders of CTF, talked about the significance of the film’s unique double narrative. “These are two important issues that we are confronting,” said Patricia, who appears in the film as the school teacher. Added Manuel, “This is not about gun violence versus cancer; this is gun violence in alliance with cancer. How can we prevent both of them? Because a victim is a victim, and every father and mother who loses a child goes through the same pain.”
Their son, Joaquin “Guac” Oliver was one of the 17 students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School murdered with an assault weapon designed for war and purchased by a 19-year-old.
Padilha (Narcos, RoboCop, Elite Squad) wrote the screenplay and directed the film via production company Taking Over NY after receiving the initial treatment developed by Rich Levy, Bernardo Romero, and Tim Jones, creative leaders at agency Klick Health. Maroon 5 founding member and lead guitarist James Valentine wrote his first original score for the film, which also features a song by the multi-Grammy® Award-winning band. Douglas Costa at Taking Over Films produced. Visual effects were done by Pierre Buffin, postproduction by BUF Company, editing by Marcio Hashimoto, and sound production by AudioInk.
“I have dedicated my career to telling stories with social impact,” Padilha said. “This film is one of the most impactful I’ve ever directed. I hope it strikes a chord with everyone so we can help change the story for children in America.”
Valentine said, “I was drawn to this project because I’ve been concerned about these two issues for a very long time. Pediatric cancer has been important to me and the band. We got involved with a program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles many years ago. And in high school, I was assigned to do a project on gun violence. It was a real wake-up call for me. Ever since then, I feel like I’ve just seen it get worse.”
According to the latest CDC data, gun violence took over as the leading cause of death for US children and teens in 2021, accounting for almost 19 percent of fatalities (almost twice that in 1999) – ahead of car accidents (16.5 percent) and pediatric cancer (8 percent).
CreditsClient Change the Ref Agency Klick Health Rich Levy, Bernardo Romero, Tim Jones, writers; Jen Martin, Laura Denham, producers; Amy Fortunato, creative director/copywriter; Andrea Bistany, creative director/art director; Spencer Brown, associate director, creative video production; Travis Borgess, Brian Umali, creative directors/art directors. Production Company Taking Over NY José Padilha, writer & director; Douglas Costa, producer; Adolpho Veloso, DP. Editorial Marcio Hashimoto, editor. Sound Production Company Audiolink Music James Valentine, Maroon 5, film score. VFX & Postproduction BUF Company Pierre Buffin, VFX
Director Gia Coppola Teams With Mejuri For “A New York Minute”; 1st Episode Takes Us To The Grocery Store
Mejuri, known for turning fine jewelry into an everyday luxury, has partnered with director Gia Coppola (The Last Show Girl, Palo Alto) and The Directors Bureau in Los Angeles, for the first time reimagining the brand’s story as episodic content. In a series of microfilms, co-created by Coppola and premiering following New York Fashion Week, Mejuri eschewed a typical celebrity campaign and cast us as voyeurs to a group of aspiring young women--real people, not actors--at the crossroads of their adult lives against the backdrop of New York City.
Titled “A New York Minute,” the series features five real-life friends, who include one perfectly imperfect heroine named Emma. The women celebrate ordinary moments and interactions which reveal, sometimes retrospectively, the extraordinary within the mundane. Adjacent to the brand’s own community, the 30-something year old cast includes Laura Love (Emma), Rebecca Ressler, Natalie Vall-Freed and Rozzi Crane. Mejuri’s jewelry makes an appearance as the best supporting actor.
“When I met with Gia and The Directors Bureau team, there was instant creative and personal chemistry and a natural alignment on the desire to push and blur the lines between marketing, storytelling, and the construct of what a ‘campaign’ could be,” said Jacob Jordan, chief brand officer, Mejuri. “Gia was able to push that idea into something that truly feels new and artful, with a realism and relatability that almost feels jarring. Gia was such a perfect collaborator and partner, someone I had complete trust in to be a catalyst for Mejuri’s values of celebrating women as their truest selves. I can’t wait for us to continue to tell the next chapters of this story.”
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