Tourmaline Directs Axe Pride Film For Anti Violence Project, Agency RanaVerse

Unilever partnered with agency RanaVerse to roll out what's billed as a first-of-its-kind Pride campaign. Unilever turned over the status of being “an official WorldPride sponsor” to six grassroots organizations, which otherwise would not have had access to a corporate Pride sponsorship. As part of its “United We Stand” mantra, Unilever funded films which it and RanaVerse created for different organizations, each featuring a different ambassador. The films were directed by Tourmaline, an advocate for the trans community whose credits include Happy Birthday, Marsa, a film about iconic transgender artist and activist, Marsha “Pay It No Mind” Johnson and her life in the hours before she ignited the 1969 Stonewall Riots in New York City. 

Titled Living In The Grey, this film is for the Anti Violence Project. Axe, a Unilever brand that aims to tackle toxic behaviors associated with traditional masculinity, is working with 13 Reasons Why star Tommy Dorfman and the Anti-Violence Project--a leading New York based charity founded to offer on the ground support and counseling services to LGBTQIA+ peoples who experience hate crimes and/or violence--to create a world where LGBTQIA+ people are safe, respected, and live free from violence. Said Dorfman, “The work of the Anti-Violence Project is vital, as I share in my film there were moments in my life when a helpline to talk to queer people who understand some of the hate I received as I explored gender would have been really beneficial. I hope partnering with Axe to support the work of AVP will make you also get involved and support their work.”