Directed and created by Samuel Bayer, this short documents the Ukraine relief effort being made by CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort), the nonprofit co-founded by Sean Penn and Ann Lee. The film chronicles CORE’s emergency push to support Ukrainian refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Beginning with Ukrainian demonstrations before the Russian invasion, the black-and-white film–titled 2 Minutes to Midnight–takes viewers through a warehouse where CORE staff–many of whom are Polish, Ukrainian and Romanian–have assembled lifesaving supplies such as food, blankets and medicine, which have been sent to Ukraine across Poland’s borders. We see shelters housing refugee families who have fled their homes. We see Penn and Lee meeting with government officials in Poland to broker long term partnerships to support border towns receiving refugees.
Since the onset of the war, CORE has activated a nimble response inclusive of a cash distribution program that distributes funds directly to refugees and IDPs. Through partnerships with local governments in Poland and Romania, CORE is helping provide resources and shelter to incoming refugees. Looking to the months ahead, the organization is planning for winter months where heat will be a precious commodity.
Bayer–who is repped by Supply & Demand in the advertising/branded space–has chronicled CORE’s efforts before, including its response to the COVID-19 pandemic with a PSA titled “Guardians” which broke in 2020.
CreditsProduction Samuel Bayer, director/DP/producer; Sean Penn, Ann Lee, Perrine Mann, Mischa Meyer, Stefan Sonnenfeld, Leo Scott, Tim Case, producers. Creative Curt Detweiler, writer. Editorial Fernanda Cardoso, editor. Music Antonio Pinto, composer. Voiceover Leila George.
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