Luke Jaden, who earned a slot in this year’s SHOOT New Directors Showcase, exec produced and directed this short film for ZARA Kids titled Sisters. It began as a personal project with Jaden delving into the mundane, human moments of childhood along with the wild joys of exploration as a kid. The short centers on the special bond between two sisters as an adolescent girl reflects about life as she falls into a daydream.
The film stars Jaden’s actual family and was shot in what he considers “the most magical place on earth”–the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Among the dynamics motivating the director was the shared connection between his two daughters which he described as the “boundless, infinite love they communicate between one another. A universal language shared that’s not spoken; yet poetic through silence…or even the way they look at each other.”
This homemade piece was shot on film (35mm & 16mm) by cinematographer Jonathan Patterson. Production company was ONE at Optimus, which represents Jaden for commercials and branded content,
Credits
Client ZARA Kids Creative Skylar Gudasz, writer/voiceover. Production ONE at Optimus Luke Jaden, director/exec producer; Diane Michelle, exec producer; Jonathan Patterson, DP. Editorial Ariana De Simone, editor. Music Delilah Montagu, composer. VFX Optimus Ryan Wood, VFX lead; Tyler Nelson, title designer; Christian Allan, conform & deliverables. Color Grade Ethos Color Cameron Marygold, colorist; Brayden Deskins, producer. Audio Post Wave Studios George Nicol, sound designer. Camera & Lenses Panavision Film Scan and Processing Tony Landao at Kodak NY (shot on Kodak film, 16mm and 35mm). Cast Rory, Indigo and Diane Special Thanks To: Kodak, Anne Hubbell, Yolanda Crocker, Panavision, Stan Glapa, Mike Carter, Camera Ambassador, Erica Duffy, ONE at Optimus, Dave Buehrle, MNRK Publishing, Michael Frick, Stephanie Morgan, Chad Johnson, John Kurkowski, Matthew McCaughan, Wave Studios, Arri.
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 film’s 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 child’s 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 – Preventive Programs, the founding organization of the “Bullying-Free Schools” program, which has been equipping institutions with resources to combat school violence for 12 years.
“Research indicates that stains on a uniform can... Read More
