For the second year, Havas New York has partnered with the Brooklyn Film Festival to call on filmmakers to showcase their art. This year the campaign eloquently makes the case that artificial intelligence can’t replace filmmakers.
Yes, AI can write, create images, edit and animate–raising concerns among human creators. But this “Stories About Life by Those Who Have Lived It” campaign shows that the human experience cannot be replicated artificially. And that’s at the heart of two films for the Brooklyn fest, including this one titled “Gil’s Grills,” in which a woman grapples with a mouthful that she can’t control–so she has to grin and bear it.
Nicolas Gordon directed via production house Kin Films, demonstrating that humanity is what sets filmmakers apart from AI.
Credits
Client Brooklyn Film Festival Marco Ursino, executive director; Susan Mackell, director of development; Galen Bremer, production manager. Agency Havas New York Dan Lucey, chief creative officer; Adam Lock, creative director; Sebastien Thomas, Nick Lindo, associate creative directors; Liberty Leben, sr. designer; Melissa T Gifrere, head of production; B Collins, sr. producer. Production Kin Films Nicolas Gordon, director; Dustin Highland, producer; Ben Thorn, production manager; Lizzy Walker, 1st AD; JD Butler, DP; Lisa Garcia, production designer; Brian Marquez, art director; Krisse Torgesson, stylist. Editorial Final Cut Antonio Gomez-Pan, editor; Rebecca Mitchell, head of production; Suzy Ramirez, exec producer; Kelly Budish, producer; Julio Samaniego, assistant editor. Telecine The Mill Logan Highlen, colorist; Baptiste Carrara, Erwini Pasia, color assist; Brandee Probasco, head of production; Krista Staudt, exec producer; Jackson Winkler, producer. Sound Machine Sound Matgej Oreskovic, exec producer; Andi Lewis, sr. producer; James Cobbold, Alex Bingham, sound design & mix; Chas Langston, Michelle Covio, assistant engineers. Conform Significant Others Justin Burkman, managing director; Alyssa St. Vincent, exec producer; Gwynne Evans Reid, head of production; Dirk Greene, ECD; Phil Apostol, lead Flame artist; Phil Brooks, GFX artist; Kogan Li, VFX assistant; Kyla Amols, producer; Hoa Vu, production coordinator. Music Duotone Jordan Lieb, Brad Fischer, composers; Ross Hopman, exec producer; Gio Lobato, sr. producer; Peter Nashel, creative director. Cast Ellie Suh; Thomas Lennon, narrator.
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
