Production company HALAL has added director Thessa Meijer to its global commercialmaking roster. Earlier this month Meijer won a coveted Grand Prix honor at CICLOPE Festival 2019 for her short film The Walking Fish, which was her first production with HALAL. The fantastical tale has scored with multiple juries worldwide (including a Special Jury Prize and Gold Screen in Cannes at the Young Directors Awards, and a Gold Medal at the 1.4 awards), in addition to being the 2020 Oscars submission for the Netherlands in the Short Film category.
The news that Meijer is now officially joining HALAL’s commercial roster is marked with the release of their first campaign, in collaboration with Amsterdam-based eyewear brand Ace & Tate. Meijer wrote and directed the short in Ace & Tate’s “Take Another Look” campaign, with photographer Nick van Tiem shooting the images.
Known for a dream-like aesthetic and humorous undertones, Meijer translated the Dutch brand’s “Take Another Look” message by creating lighthearted, beautifully striking visuals that play with the viewers’ perception. Meijer said, “We wanted every aspect of the campaign: from the visual landscape, to the sound design, to the relation between the characters and their environment–to act as catalysts for viewers to see things differently. I took a lot of inspiration from the shapes of the glasses themselves: square, round and so forth–and referenced them throughout the film in different ways.”
