2020/2021 Winners & Shortlists

Write a short summary of what happens in the film

We follow the life of a peculiar yet well-meaning man in a cold and thankless world that ignores him; symbolically representing life and banks. The cold cinematography aims to embody his world’s reality. In the most “un-Saudi” banking film, we observe the many instances when he, generously, does something for someone else... An elderly woman (holding the elevator) His boss (for a midnight shift) A lost goat (feeding it). His wife (cooking an absolutely bland pasta). A vending machine (inputs money in the right and secure way). But, across all those instances, we see him get nothing back. Until one transformational moment, when the universe deals him a kinder card thanks to Emirates NBD. As he struggles to break into a smile (because he has had no reason to thus far), he erupts into a frenzy of joy, subsequently, breaking the fourth wall with us, the viewers too.

Cultural / Context information for the jury

Emirates NBD is a leading bank in the UAE. But it is a relatively new bank in Saudi Arabia, being in the market for only a couple of years. Now, Saudi Arabia’s advertising landscape, particularly when it comes to films, is full of generic credit card offers and rewards, from banks and financial institutions, that flood the market, with absolutely no differentiation nor storytelling. So, when Emirates NBD was launching its new cashback credit card called ‘Mazeed’ in Saudi Arabia, as a challenger brand in the market, we needed to do something banks don’t do to stand out and earn attention and awareness, and drive acquisitions. To promote a credit card that gives you back, we did something that was totally “un-Saudi” as we showed a world where you get nothing back through the lens of a fictional character.

Tell the jury anything relevant about the direction. Do not name the director.

The goal for this film was to disrupt the ad clutter, visually and conceptually. Firstly, it needed look different from other banking films and other Saudi films that typically look colourful and bright. It was designed to feel colder and grimmer to bring to life how our fictional character felt in his life, when he got nothing back (and thus, serve as a metaphor for how people feel when they get nothing back from banks). Secondly, it needed to feel real and relatable versus being overtly produced and feeling like another commercial. Thirdly, the lead actor needed to typify the peculiar yet well-meaning and generous man we wanted as our protagonist. And fourthly, the story needed to make people feel for him in every instance, and almost feel aghast at the other seemingly harmless people around him who never gave even a thank you in return (not even the goat!).