David Findlay, who earned a slot in this year’s SHOOT New Directors Showcase, helmed this spec piece, You Know Where You Belong, as a visual poem celebrating the mind of the restless.
Cinematographer Farhad Ghaderi (nominated for a UKMVA this month) shot it on 35mm in Vancouver, BC. You Know Where You Belong was made with friends, OPC acting as exec producers and the support of local company Boldly and Montreal house Les Enfants.
Production David Findlay, director; Joaquin Cardoner, Mia Metz, Sultan Al Saud, producers; OPC, exec producers; Shelby Manton co-producer. Made in association with Boldly & Les Enfants. Farhad Ghaderi, DP; Kathleen Loski, production designer; Joseph Carney, 1st assistant director; Nina Maidment, stylist. Casting VAKA Katrin Braga, casting. Editorial Alexander Farah, editor. Sound Design Mitchell Allen Audio Mix Vapor Art Mullin Color Sam Giling, colorist. Cast Emma Johnson, Joe Dion Buffalo, Tatenda Hatugari, Tony Giroux, Andres Joseph, Dora Prieto, Sam Gilling, Tarique Imani Atkinson, Shar Michelle, Epik Bothe, Classic Bothe, Era Bothe, Chris Garnier, Nicole Harney, Jad Al Arid, Charmaine Wilson, Jazmine Campanale, Donald Sales, Jasmine Mander, Linda Watters, Nelson Wong, Amy King, Ivan Rickardliow, Cora Hall Special Thanks Adam Osten at Panavision, Jean-Sรฉbastien Chambonnet at Mels, Anne Hubbell at Kodak, Alyssa Sinclair at Vapor, Anita Cirillo at Gallery Jones, Max Bailey, Paul Snider, Sarah McCarthey, Cรฉline Ceillier
Stain remover Vanish presents this emotional short film--created by BETC Havas, Sao Paulo, and produced by LOBO--that explores the profound consequences of bullying and highlights the importance of open conversations between parents and children. Titled The Bully Monster, the animated film premiered at the Maquinaria Festival in Rio de Janeiro on February 15 in a special edition featuring family-focused programming.
The filmโs protagonist is a boy who experiences bullying at school but keeps silent about his suffering. Isolation turns sadness into insecurity, creating invisible emotional scars that only grow in the absence of dialogue. When his mother notices stains on his uniform, these marks become the starting point for a revealing conversation. As words find space to make themselves heard, the stains begin to fade.
This initiative aligns with the Vanish Saves Your Uniform campaign, which, for the past three years during the back-to-school season, has engaged with parents by positioning the brand as a trusted partner in preserving school uniforms. This year, Vanish decided to broaden the conversation, bringing bullying into the debate as the real stain that can impact a childโs life.
The Bully Monster is being screened as preshow material in movie theaters starting February 20 and will also be available on streaming platforms and digital channels. In addition to the film, the campaign will include out-of-home activations and school initiatives through a partnership with Abrace โ Preventive Programs, the founding organization of the โBullying-Free Schoolsโ program, which has been equipping institutions with resources to combat school violence for 12 years.
โResearch indicates that stains on a uniform can... Read More
