Publicis Middle East creates moving short film tackling organ donation cultural misperception

King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research is a leading healthcare, research, and education institution recognized throughout Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. The hospital wanted to focus on one key topic that was pertinent to it: Organ transplantation. Partnering with Publicis Middle East and Dejavu Dubai, they aimed to make an impact on a related topic that tends to have a misperception around it in the faith that’s predominant in the region: Organ donation.

Established in 1975, the hospital has been operational in Saudi Arabia for 50 years, and is committed to providing world-class medical care and continuously advancing healthcare standards – not just for Saudi Arabia but also, for patients from around the world.

Organ donation is misperceived to be prohibited in the faith in the region. But the religion itself and most Islamic religious leaders encourage saving lives, and organ donation is deemed to be one way to do so, provided it does not harm the donor, and it is done after death to save others’ lives.

A deceased donor can donate and save up to eight lives by donating organs after death. And we see 8 stories in “Strangers”.

With “Strangers”, the brand takes on the taboo too but with velvet gloves, by creating a story that asks one simple question: What is an act that makes one’s life worth more?

Based on the premise of “we live on through what we give”, the film shares how when we choose to give a part of us to others, we keep a part of us alive in them.

In doing so, the hospital wants to encourage people, regionally and worldwide, to give the gift of hope to others, through donating their organs, when they themselves are gone.

Therefore, in turn, also associating the hospital with being a place for organ transplant.

According to the agency statement the film has so far achieved 98% view through rate i.e. 98% of people who viewed the film watched it for its entire duration of 3 minutes 44 seconds. And has earned 100% positive sentiment, reached 23 markets. It has helped drive an uplift in inquiries for organ transplant, and an uplift in interests and hand raises for organ donation.

Credits
Creative Agency: Publicis Middle East & Dejavu Dubai
Production Company: Dejavu Dubai
Line Production: BMRG FIlms
Post-Production: Dejavu Dubai
Editing: Cold-Cutz
Colouring: Company 3

Executive Producer: Manasvi Gosalia
Director: Tahaab Rais
Director of Photography: Marvin Schatz
Screenplay and story: Tahaab Rais
Producer: Hala El Amm
Head of Production: Kavya Iyer

Chief Executive Officer: Bassel Kakish
Chief Strategy Officer: Tahaab Rais
Executive Creative Director: Aunindo Anoop Sen
Head of Production: Shereen Mostafa
Senior Producer: Joumana Haddad

Producer: Nicholas Balaa
1st AD – Guram Bakradze
2nd AD – Ilia Asitashvili, Marie Jatchvadze
Executive Producer – Levan Maghradze
Executive Producer – Tato Sulakvelidze
Production Manager – Irina Khvedelidze
Production Assistant – Oto Pavlenishvili
Production Designer – Tamo Chavchanidze
Art Director – Beka Sadagashvili
Costume Designer – Nino Injia
Make up and Hair – Teo Glonti
Make up and Hair – Madona Chanturia
Casting Director – Taso Okropiridze
Casting Support – Salome Chulukhadze
SFX – Guro Chikviladze
Gaffer – Goglika Khaindrava
1st AC – Manu Elijarashvili
2nd AC – Levan Zaridze

Editor – Neda Zag
Head of Post Production: Rafic Sawaya
Post Producer: Nadim Khoury
Senior Colorist: Steffan Perry
Coloring & Grading Senior Producer: Edwin Elkington
VFX: Pradosh Chandran

Actor: Elias Zayek
Supporting actor: Pavle
Supporting actor: Ani Imnadze
Supporting actor: Iskandar Sawaieer
Supporting actor: Bryson Wesley
Supporting actor: Giga Jishkariani