This holiday season, Lyft is showing a token of appreciation to a few special drivers who have received passenger praise above and beyond the call of duty. Production company Strike Anywhere worked directly with Lyft to shine a light on the stories of drivers Paloma and Lamont, and thank them for their incredible acts of service and kindness.
Strike Anywhere enlisted the help of director/cinematographer Joshua Z Weinstein whose film Menashe was released theatrically by A24, earning a score of 97% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Weinstein shot and helmed two Lyft driver pieces, including this one celebrating Paloma, a Las Vegas woman who introduces herself as someone who “worries just like any other mother” as she gets ready for the day. The clip reveals how important art is to the family—the connection between a mother who loves art, the eldest film major daughter, and the autistic children who communicate visually. Paloma dreams of taking her family to Paris to experience its art and architecture.
We then hear of Paloma’s Lyft service one fateful night during the mass shooting in Las Vegas in October. She rescued a local passenger named Billy and his wife–then returned to help more people. Paloma’s life-saving act gets repaid during an emotional reunion with Billy, who tells her Lyft is sending her and her family to Paris to see the Mona Lisa.
CreditsClient Lyft Topher Lorette, director of creative production; Brian Button, associate creative director/copywriter; Morten Halvarsen, associate creative director/art director; Alex Doty, sr. creative producer. Production Strike Anywhere Joshua Z Weinstein, director/DP; Cori Cooperider, exec producer; Maya Owings, line producer. Editorial Matt O’Donnell, editor; Maya Owings, post producer. Finishing MFD Ayumi Ashley, color; Joel Rabbe, mix; Matt Notaro, conform; Nick Castillo, Carissa Quiambao, producers.
Top Spot of the Week: EHRAC, Animation Studio NOMINT Depict Life “In Limbo” As Families Search For Loved Ones
This animated film titled In Limbo depicts the journey of a heroic woman protagonist representing the countless families in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe (where Chechnya is situated) searching for their forcibly disappeared loved ones. Utilizing theatrical elements, the film highlights the unnatural disruption caused by enforced disappearances and delves into the profound trauma these families endure. It emphasizes their long battles with the domestic authorities as they seek answers. The film also underscores the vital role of community support in helping these families cope and continue their fight for answers, serving as a compelling call to action for justice and human rights.
Through intimate storytelling, In Limbo raises awareness of the ongoing uncertainty that leaves families in a perpetual state of limbo, unable to find closure.
Directed by Afterman--the animation duo consisting of Tsvetelina Zdraveva and Jerred North--and created and produced by London-based animation studio NOMINT, In Limbo was commissioned by the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre (EHRAC).
In a joint statement, Zdraveva and North shared, “Our film takes place on a theater stage, highlighting how such tragedies are far removed from ordinary life,” they continued. “The stage is circular, resembling an artificial, perpetually spinning obstacle course, with a target—the red tail lights—just within sight yet never within reach, symbolizing the family’s never-ending quest for justice.”
“We used a limited primary color palette to contrast the two worlds all families are pulled between. Minimalist compositions of starkly silhouetted characters and environments create the ominous atmosphere of a deeply painful and... Read More