The feature filmmaking team of Seth Rogen and Even Goldberg directed this short for Walmart which will air during the Sunday night (2/26) Oscar telecast. Titled “Bananas Town,” this :60 is part of a series of short films, the other two being helmed respectively by movie directors Antoine Fuqua and Marc Forster.
The premise of each short film is around “how every receipt tells a story,” with the directors being challenged to illustrate their vision for one receipt containing bananas, paper towels, batteries, scooter, wrapping paper and a video baby monitor. The three creative films are part of Walmart’s larger multi-year partnership with the Academy Awards that is aimed at highlighting Walmart’s commitment to the art of storytelling. Walmart is also be making a $250,000 donation to The Academy Grants Program for FilmCraft.
Rogen and Goldberg’s piece starts in a classroom where a student launches into a “Bananas” tune, triggering an odyssey that takes us to such venues as a barber shop with scooters, a jazz club where the crooner sings about batteries, and a concert hall where ballerinas perform a tribute to paper towels.
Agency is Saatchi & Saatchi NY.
Credits
Client Walmart Agency Saatchi & Saatchi NY Javier Campopiano, chief creative officer; Mike Pierantozzi, Wayne Best, executive creative directors; Blake Enting, head of design; Michael Craven, creative director/copywriter; Scott Bassen, creative director/art director; John Doris, head of production; Emily Green, executive producer; Danica Rosen, Zamile Vilakazi, producers; Aliaksandra Shvedava, digital producer. Production Caviar Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg, directors; Michael Sagol, Jasper Tomlinson, exec producers; Brian Etting, producer. Postproduction Caviar Isaac Hagy, editor; Bia Jurema, assistant editor; Correntin De Saedeleer, exec producer, post; Terry Huynh, post producer; Brandon Chavez, colorist. VFX Visual Creatures John Cranston, Ryan McNeely, VFX creative directors/partners; Arnold Aldridge, VFX artist; Tricia Chatterton-Goldrick, VFX exec producer. Audio Margarita Mix James Moore, mixer. Music Squeak E. Clean Justin Hori, composer; Amy Crilly, exec producer.
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
