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)
NHS England, M&C Saatchi UK, Director Tom Tagholm Team On PSA Highlighting The Overlooked Signs Of A Stroke
National Health Service (NHS) England has unveiled a multichannel campaign, “Act FAST,” to raise awareness of the individual signs of a stroke and get people to call 999 as soon as they suspect they may be experiencing any one symptom. The push, which is part of the ongoing “Help Us, Help You” campaign, was developed in partnership with M&C Saatchi UK.
The campaign depicts everyday situations where everything might seem relatively normal, but where there’s the sign of someone experiencing a stroke.
A key component of the campaign is this :30--directed by Tom Tagholm of Various Films--which sets up the idea that initially, a stroke might not seem like much, highlighting key symptoms: from struggling to use a paint roller, to not being able to smile when watching TV, to slurring your speech when reading a story to your grandchild. The PSA emphasizes that time is critical, ending with the line: “Face or arm or speech, at the first sign, it’s time to call 999.”
Jo Bacon, Group CEO, M&C Saatchi UK, said, “We want to ensure people take action on the first symptom, rather than waiting for more conclusive signs. To help them understand that even when everything seems normal, something serious might be happening.”
Matt Lee, executive creative director, M&C Saatchi UK, commented: “This is important work. We wanted to explore that precise moment when your world shifts, quietly yet powerfully, off its axis during a stroke. We highlight how a tiny external moment can actually be seismic—an extraordinary gear change, framed in a really ordinary way.”
Director Tagholm shared, “My Dad suffered a stroke a few years ago and was saved from the worst by acting quickly, and by the work of the NHS. So there’s... Read More