BAKER OF BEIRUT

Short List
TitleBAKER OF BEIRUT
BrandWESTPAC BANKING CORPORTATION
Product / ServiceBANKING
CategoryA09. Consumer Services / Business to Business
EntrantDDB SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
Idea Creation DDB SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
Media Placement MEDIA LAB COMMUNICATIONS Sydney, AUSTRALIA
PR MAP AND PAGE Sydney, AUSTRALIA
Production 3&7 Sydney, AUSTRALIA
Production 2 THE BUTCHERY Sydney, AUSTRALIA
Production 3 SONG ZU Sydney, AUSTRALIA
Production 4 BLOCKHEAD VFX Sydney, AUSTRALIA
Production 5 LEVEL TWO MUSIC Sydney, AUSTRALIA
Additional Company PETA EINBERG CASTING Sydney, AUSTRALIA
Additional Company 2 NICK HAMON CASTING Melbourne, AUSTRALIA

Credits

Name Company Position
Ben Welsh DDB Sydney Chief Creative Officer
Tara Ford DDB Sydney Executive Creative Director
Matt Chandler DDB Sydney Creative Partner
Matt Chandler DDB Sydney Copywriter
Noah Regan DDB Sydney Head of Art
Noah Regan DDB Sydney Art Director
Paul Jansen DDB Sydney Senior Designer
Sevda Cemo DDB Sydney Head of Integrated Content
Tash Johnson DDB Sydney Lead Senior Producer
Andrew Little DDB Sydney Chief Executive Officer
Priya Patel DDB Sydney Managing Director
Chiquita King DDB Sydney Managing Partner
Sasha Firth DDB Sydney Managing Partner
Topher Jones DDB Sydney Group Business Director
Sanja Zanelli DDB Sydney Senior Business Director
Kirsty Smith DDB Sydney Senior Business Director
Fabrizia Violante DDB Sydney Business Manager
Carl Ratcliff DDB Sydney Chief Strategy Officer
Dom Hickey DDB Sydney Head of Planning
James Davis DDB Sydney Senior Planner
Jenny Melhuish Westpac Banking Corporation Head of Brand, Advertising & Media
Samuel Viney Westpac Banking Corporation Head of Advertising
Amber Joyce Westpac Banking Corporation Senior Advertising Manager
Carly Boyle Westpac Banking Corporation Director of Media Planning
Anna MacFarlane Westpac Banking Corporation Head of Marketing, Strategy & Planning
Alice Peers Westpac Banking Corporation Senior Marketing Manager
Brooke Carter Westpac Banking Corporation Senior Marketing Manager
Magdalena Sikora Westpac Banking Corporation Marketing Manager
Steve Ayson 3&7 Director
Emma Wilcockson 3&7 Executive Producer
Julianne Shelton 3&7 Producer
Jack Hutchings The Butchery Editor
Abigail Sie Song Zu Sound Engineer
Stefan Coory Blockhead VFX VFX Post Supervisor
Karen Fabling Blockhead VFX VFX Post Supervisor
Sam Hall Blockhead VFX VFX Post Producer
Briohny Aldersea Blockhead VFX VFX Post Producer
Karl Richter Level Two Music Music Supervisor
Peta Einberg Peta Einberg Casting Casting
Nick Hamon Nick Hamon Casting Casting
Media Lab Media Lab Media Agency
Map & Page Map & Page PR

Write a short summary of what happens in the film

This is the story of Ali, a young surgeon from Lebanon who’s forced to flee the country with his family during the civil war. They make their way to Australia, where despite Ali’s history as a doctor, he needs to find a new source of income. Taking on an apprenticeship, with a lot of hard work he becomes a capable baker, and eventually opens a shop inspired by his heritage – “The Baker of Beirut”. At the end of our story, we see the powerful impact of Ali and his wife’s efforts. It’s revealed their daughter hasn’t joined the family business as we expected, she’s become a surgeon like her dad was back in Beirut. Underscoring the sacrifice Ali has made for his daughter, a super appears: Whoever you’re in business for, we’re here to help connecting the brand’s empathy to this powerful story of migration.

Cultural/Context information for the jury

This film was part of Westpac’s “Help” campaign, which deals with subject matters – like divorce and death – that other banks are afraid to confront. So when it came to the subject of business banking, a more familiar banking topic, we told a story through the epic lens of a migrant family escaping Lebanon and making sacrifices for the good of their child. A story relevant and potent for all Australians. - 97.4 per cent of all businesses operating in Australia are small businesses - 70% of those are family businesses - 1/3 of Australian small businesses are owned by migrants - 83% of migrant business owners did not own a business before coming to Australia - 51% Have a degree or higher, and in many cases their qualifications are not recognised in Australia.