B-Reel Films (BR•F) has added Sweden-born director Sacarias Kiusalaas to its U.S. roster. Kiusalaas’ notable work includes the touching “When Harry Met Santa,” a short he made for the Norwegian Postal Service that earned him 71 international awards.
Kiusalaas found filmmaking early on as a way to preserve the bittersweetness of moments passed. But, soon after beginning his studies at film school, Kiusalaas determined he would need to tread an unconventional path. He soon left school and joined BR•F’s office in Stockholm, where he soaked up the craft as an intern and director’s assistant. It is at these stomping grounds where his career has continued to blossom.
“It’s been amazing to watch Sacarias grow into one of the best directors of this new generation,” remarked Pelle Nillson, BR•F founder/CEO. “His sensibility and way of working with actors is exceptional, and he crafts his work in such a unique and lovable way.”
With a lens that shares his characters’ most private emotions, the intimacy of Kiusalaas’ work is evident in “Together Again,” Kiusalaas’ visceral short for Cancerfonden (The Swedish Cancer Society.) The tender, heart wrenching film, which went viral and remains a popular and influential short shared throughout Sweden, depicts the sweet bond between a father and son through several personal and often funny vignettes, each filmed and produced as if they were drawn from home video.
“I’m very nostalgic; I hate when things end. Filming, to me, is a way to preserve time,” said Kiusalaas. “I can also grow bored quite easily, and filmmaking is the opposite of boredom. It makes you feel so alive.”
His work on “When Harry Met Santa,” a piece about a man who strikes up a relationship with and falls in love with Santa, possesses a heartfelt intensity and sense of timelessness while taking his craft a step further with a distinctive and progressive story. “When Harry Met Santa” earned Kiusalaas assorted honors including Gold Direction at Eurobest, Gold from The One Show, and a Cannes Gold Lions, among five nominations.
Kiusalaas can see no other way to bring his moving work to the U.S. than with BR•F, the company he has worked with the longest in his career.
“My best films have emerged from speaking out loud what I really believe in, leaving behind the fights that don’t matter, and always keeping a good atmosphere,” said Kiusalaas. “BR•F has always been my family and I am looking forward to making them proud in the U.S. by continuing to tell surprising stories in a way no one has ever seen before.”
Eleanor Adds Director Candice Vernon To Its Roster For Spots and Branded Content
Director Candice Vernon has joined production house Eleanor for U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded content. She has already wrapped several jobs at Eleanor, which waited to announce her until they had a body of work together.
Via Eleanor, Vernon made history as the first Black director on a Febreze commercial. The “Small Spaces” campaign marks a major departure from Febreze’s typical blue-and-white world. The home of the “Revolving Door” commercial is a beautiful array of bold sunset hues, African prints, and African art.
Vernon said, “I asked myself, what feels right to me? What feels new? I wanted to bring an essence of not just Black Americans but the full diaspora. I wanted to make a statement that we’re not a monolith.”
Following the success of the “Small Spaces” campaign, Febreze brought Vernon back for a comedy-infused trifecta exploring the hilarious situations that call for an air freshening hero.
Febreze Brand VP Angelica Matthews said, “About two years ago, we realized the consumers that were the most loyal to Febreze were the African American consumers. And the more we learned, the more we realized the richness that we were really missing. So we said we have to go beyond just Black casting, we need to get Black directors that truly understand the culture that truly understand how to bring authentic performances out on screen. We really looked around the industry and noticed there’s actually a shortage of African American directors who have experience doing commercials. When we all saw Candice’s reel, we could all tell the passion for the craft, passion for really trying to help us from where we are to where we’re trying to go.”
Vernon brings a unique lens to... Read More