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)
Top Spot of the Week: Honda, RPA, Director Rupert Sanders Share “Unstoppable Dreams,” An Inspiring Reverse Poem
This inspiring Honda spot--directed by Rupert Sanders of MJZ for agency RPA--is the centerpiece of the “Unstoppable Dreams” campaign which brings to life the brand’s “Challenging Spirit” and the idea that resounding success is often the result of failures. The :60 follows the distinctive journeys of competitors with strong ties to Honda as they pursued their racing ambitions, including the late F1 racing legend Ayrton Senna and current FIA Formula 1® World Champion Max Verstappen.
The cinematic spot deploys an engaging reverse poem format, so what begins as a disheartening story about failure and giving up reverses course to showcase how personal setbacks can serve as the greatest teacher and catalyst to achieve big dreams.
The “Unstoppable Dreams” film features iconic Honda race machines including the 1992 Formula 1® winning McLaren Honda MP4/7A driven by Senna and the FIA Formula 1® championship 2021 Red Bull Racing Honda RB16B driven by Verstappen, as well as exciting forthcoming products including the Honda hybrid-electric Prelude Concept and the Honda eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft). The “Unstoppable Dreams” tells a story about how the starting point of achieving success is how one responds to failure.
“Unstoppable Dreams” made its TV debut earlier this week on NBC’s Sunday Night Football and will continue to air during NFL and college football games, and the opening night of the 2024-25 NBA season. The campaign also will be featured on the big screen this fall, at theaters across America during major movie premiere releases, and on Netflix’s ad-supported plan in the U.S., for the highly anticipated series Senna.
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