Australian film industry icons come together to support Sydney Film Festival in new campaign via M&C Saatchi Group, Sydney
The film features Australian industry icons, including Nicole Kidman and Jack Thompson, reading ‘Stories’, a stirring poem written by M&C Saatchi Group Creative Director Andy Flemming about the importance of creativity, debate, discovery and truth-telling.
‘Stories’ is the outcome of a rich collaboration of SFF supporters – creatives, actors and filmmakers. Gillian Armstrong AM, Rose Byrne, Marta Dusseldorp, Nash Edgerton, Damon Herriman, Nicole Kidman AC, Ewen Leslie, Heather Mitchell AM, Daniel Monks, Sam Neill DCNZM OBE, Miranda Tapsell, Jack Thompson AM, Lynette Wallworth, Rachel Ward AM, Hugo Weaving AO and David Wenham contributed their voices to the initiative, filming a collective poem – Stories.
The timing of the piece is especially pertinent for the film festival, which will be virtual this year for the first time in its history. But whether movie or computer screen, the festival is adamant that stories from around the world are even more important in these troubled times.
Says Sydney Film Festival CEO Leigh Small: “Sydney Film Festival is thrilled to have sparked such a moment of creative reflection from some of Australia’s most talented filmmakers and storytellers.”
Says Flemming: “Stories are one of the fundamental reasons for us being us. From stories calved onto Egyptian tombs, embroidered into tapestries or shot on 35mm, they share knowledge, history and humanity. We live in an age where many of our stories are picked for us by a computer algorithm, so film festivals are critical for how we see the world. As a film lover, it was a privilege to write these words – and made it even more exciting to hear some of the world’s greatest talent delivering them.”
All talent and expertise were donated to the philanthropic campaign. The initiative, in collaboration with advertising agency M&C Saatchi and production company FINCH, sees a cast of 16 formidable Australian actors and filmmakers join forces via video to champion the Festival.
Sydney Film Festival has partnered with international film festivals and local streaming service SBS On Demand, to find new ways to connect audiences to film and to support the film industry, which has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 lockdowns.
Creative Agency M&C Saatchi
Chief Creative Officer: Cam Blackley
Executive Creative Director: Mandie van der Merwe
Executive Creative Director: Avish Gordhan
Group Creative Director: Andy Flemming
Writer: Andy Flemming
Art Director: Rosita Rawnsley-Mason
Account Director: Charlotte O’Brien
Strategist: Alexi Hall
Production Company: FINCH
Director: Kyra Bartley
Executive Producer: Loren Bradley
Editor: Jack Hutchings, The Editors
Post Production: Atticus
Sound Mix: Abigail Sie, Song Zu
Composer: Adrian Sergovich, Song Zu
Sydney Film Festival CEO: Leigh Small
Sydney Film Festival Philanthropy Manager: Georgia Shepherd
19 Comments
Finch’s investment in a zoom account is really paying dividends.
Legit, I’m howling with laughter from this comment.
A “director” that has directed a film that has been at Sydney Film Festival?
Beautiful words, as always, Mr Flemming.
Very very well written.
It was, as you can imagine, very difficult to get a camera out over the last few months.
Bloody well done Andy
Great initiative, but invoking the Ricky Gervais option – why do artists have this insatiable, tone-deaf need to keep telling us how ‘brave they are and how what they do is the most important thing on earth’.
Pass
But what about not an advertising director the promotion of our national film festival? I’m pretty sure everyone was available. Haha.
Wow. That’s quite good that is.
It is a good poem though. Are M&C known for poems?
Ignore the haters M&C. This is wonderfully written by one of the best. Love it.
Dull, predictable M&C. Some big-name talent to try and draw interest, but nothing else.
Lovely writing.
Genuinely well done. I hope they make some money. Love the SFF.
That’s excellent writing.
Bore off.
You can count the people who can actually write in this industry on one hand.
And several of them are at,or were at M&C.
Well done Andy.