Conceived by Publicis Conseil, directed by Vladimir de Fontenay and produced by Iconoclast, this short film for Gustave Roussy, the leading cancer center in France, is a modern Christmas tale in which fiction and reality are deliberately intertwined. It recounts an unknown but true story: Santa Claus once had cancer… and recovered.
“Our agencies have always made Christmas films to sell products or services. This year, Santa Claus is defending the fight against cancer because he himself has been affected by the disease. We wanted to raise awareness with Gustave Roussy, but above all we wanted to convey a message of hope and say that he has been cured thanks to the donations received for research,” explained Marco Venturelli, CEO/CCO of Publicis Conseil.
The film, titled A True Story, takes us through Santa’s journey the year he was diagnosed with cancer, from the discovery of his illness to the various treatments he received at Gustave Roussy, as well as the unwavering support he received from his daughter and the medical staff until he went into remission.
Just like anyone who is affected, Santa Claus will go through moments of doubt, despair, and sorrow, but also of joy. As his illness deprived him of the attributes that makes him Santa Claus in everyone’s eyes–his long beard and white hair–he persisted, whatever the cost, in toiling in his workshop to ensure children’s Christmases while still undergoing heavy treatment. Thanks to advances in research and the support of Gustave Roussy, Santa is now cured and can resume his rounds and his work, bringing joy to
This highly emotional, cinematic film ends on a note of hope: “Cancer can be cured and now, more than ever, is the time to believe in it.” And it is donations that will indeed make the difference and make this possible, so let’s give to research.
CreditsClient Gustave Roussy Agency Publicis Conseil Marco Venturelli, CEO, chief creative officer; Pierre Mathonat, executive creative director; Kevin Salembier, copywriter; Nicolas Hurez, art director; Sarah Bouadjera, TV producer. Production Company Iconoclast Vladimir de Fontenay, director; Arnaud Potier, DP; Arno Roth, production designer; Diane Gagnant, stylist; Gabriel Levy, 1st AD; Nathalie Le Caer, producer; Nicolas Avram, production director; Lea Rambeau, production coordinator. Postproduction Poster Company Sylvie Landra, editor; Vanessa Koscianski, post producer; Mael Gaumont, graphic designer. Audio Prodigious Emmanuel Desmadryl, sound producer; Laurent Lavaud, sound engineer. Sound Design Studio Badje, Felix Davin, sound designer; Christophe Caurret, music creative director. Music “Atmosphere” Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, Ian Curtis, Stephen Morris, authors/composers; James Blake, recording artist; Universal Music Publishing Ltd.; 2020 UMG Recordings, Inc. (A Republic Records/Polydor Records)
Director Gia Coppola Teams With Mejuri For “A New York Minute”; 1st Episode Takes Us To The Grocery Store
Mejuri, known for turning fine jewelry into an everyday luxury, has partnered with director Gia Coppola (The Last Show Girl, Palo Alto) and The Directors Bureau in Los Angeles, for the first time reimagining the brandโs story as episodic content. In a series of microfilms, co-created by Coppola and premiering following New York Fashion Week, Mejuri eschewed a typical celebrity campaign and cast us as voyeurs to a group of aspiring young women--real people, not actors--at the crossroads of their adult lives against the backdrop of New York City.
Titled โA New York Minute,โ the series features five real-life friends, who include one perfectly imperfect heroine named Emma. The women celebrate ordinary moments and interactions which reveal, sometimes retrospectively, the extraordinary within the mundane. Adjacent to the brandโs own community, the 30-something year old cast includes Laura Love (Emma), Rebecca Ressler, Natalie Vall-Freed and Rozzi Crane. Mejuriโs jewelry makes an appearance as the best supporting actor.
โWhen I met with Gia and The Directors Bureau team, there was instant creative and personal chemistry and a natural alignment on the desire to push and blur the lines between marketing, storytelling, and the construct of what a โcampaignโ could be,โ said Jacob Jordan, chief brand officer, Mejuri. โGia was able to push that idea into something that truly feels new and artful, with a realism and relatability that almost feels jarring. Gia was such a perfect collaborator and partner, someone I had complete trust in to be a catalyst for Mejuriโs values of celebrating women as their truest selves. I canโt wait for us to continue to tell the next chapters of this story.โ
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