This interdisciplinary performance art film for Louis XIII Cognac–titled Believe in Time–was led by Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and visual artist Solange Knowles, who also composed an original piece of music for the project, in collaboration with Chinese couture designer Guo Pei, and French-Senegalese Cannes Festival’s Grand Prix winning director Mati Diop (Atlantics). Imagined and developed by creative agency Fred & Farid Los Angeles, the film reminds us of the human being’s place in the universe, and the infinite time it takes for great things to happen. Louis XIII Cognac expresses its unique relation to time by paying tribute to Mother Earth.
Knowles stated, “Time and space are really at the foundation of my expressions. I’m a strong believer that the space and time surrounding our work is just as important as the work itself, and world making has been a part of my practice for quite some time now. These ideas align with what is being expressed with Louis XIII’s creation, Believe in Time. The question of time is always in my container of consciousness while creating. In most of my own work, whether it be music, film, or sculpture, I try to give thought on how future generations will discover it; and so, to be aligned on these ideas gave me great interest in the type of projects Louis XIII has been creating. I’ve been a huge fan of Mati Diop’s Atlantics, and Guo Pei’s incredible craftsmanship and jumped at the conversations to collaborate with them. Being able to bring all of these facets of creation by composing an original musical score really brought this project to life.”
Credits
Client Louis XIII Cognac Agency Fred & Farid Los Angeles Fred & Farid, chief creative officers; Nicolas Berthier, creative director; Radouane Guissi, Bridget Callahan, art director; Ciana Alessi, jr. copywriter; Amanda Van Caneghem, executive producer. Production Division Mati Diop, director; Laure Salgon, Jules de Chateleux, exec producers. Production Services TwentyfourSeven Oriol Rodriguez, exec producer; Aurelie Bruneau, producer; Marie Mezeray, production coordinator; Olivier Gossot, DP; Miguel Ramos, makeup lead; Evanie Frausto, hair lead; Kyle Luu, styling lead; Ana Murillas, stylist; Marie Lanna, production designer; Maya Alexis, choreographer/movement director; Clémence Cuvelier, head of postproduction; Adriana Legay, Stephane Peirrera, lead editors; Roxane Faure Huet, Zoé Sassier, Elodie Fouqueau, Lola Bongiovanni, supporting editors; Katie Dailey, supporting writer; Arthur Paux, colorist; Chris Parks, fluids filmmaker. Sound House Kouz Gregoire Couzinier, sound producer; Brunot Porret, sound studio manager; Marine Sellem, music supervisor. VFX & Online The Mill Paris Fabrice Damolini, exec producer; Jeremy Wulff, VFX supervisor; Benjamin Cathala, VFX producer; Francois Belliart, Lea Gonzales, matte painting; Jeremy Wulff, Manon Baillet, Max Loriot, motion design; Marouan El Bekri, Randy Gudin, Jérôme Auliac, compositing; Alex Corcoy, asset maker; Sebastien Kremer, Flame. Music Solange, composer & score. Beijing Shoot Beijing Eye Sasha Alderson, exec producer; Zhihan Zhang, Hans Zhang, DPs.
White Ribbon has launched its “My Friend, Max Hate” campaign in Canada featuring this public service film that follows the journey of a young, isolated boy who becomes influenced by a misogynistic online puppet, “Max Hate.” The PSA reveals how online figures in the manosphere--a network of online communities promoting hateful, misogynistic rhetoric which fuels attitudes among young men and boys that contribute to gender-based violence.
“It’s alarming to see the growing impact of the manosphere and how they are conditioning vulnerable populations such as teens, particularly young men,” said Humberto Carolo, White Ribbon CEO. “These misogynistic online groups have existed for years, but their influence has grown under controversial figures, driving an increase in gender-based violence. With the My Friend, Max Hate campaign, our goal is to expose the damaging influence of misogynistic figures and raise awareness, particularly among young men who are often drawn into these toxic online communities.”
Launching two weeks before Safer Internet Day (February 11), the campaign--from Toronto agency Bensimon Byrne--underscores the importance of online safety and protecting youth through clear content boundaries.
White Ribbon is creating an online resource hub that educates individuals on how to recognize harmful online groups and provides support for young men and boys seeking to escape. Additionally, the campaign will launch a TikTok account, @max_hate_, featuring the PSA ‘My Friend, Max Hate’ puppet to expose how these figures gain influence and spread hate in a space that reaches those most influenced, young men.
The PSA was directed by Angie Bird via Toronto-based Westside Studio.
