Cannes Lions

Set Free

ARTHRITIS RESEARCH UK, London / ARTHRITIS RESEARCH UK / 2018

Film
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Overview

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Credits

OVERVIEW

Description

The Nation's Joint Problem film reveals not only the true impact arthritis has on people with the condition, but also the hidden impact on the UK as a whole. Over 30m work days in the UK are lost a year due to the condition. The film demonstrates this through a story about Ray, a young man trying to rebuild his life for the sake of his young son. As he leaves prison, he is determined to find work and turn his life around. Despite his family getting behind him and his best intentions to get his life on track, ultimately arthritis prevents him starting his first day at work.

Execution

The casting focused on serious acting talent from stage and film, rather than advertising faces, to fit with the classic British film casting brief.

We needed to avoid the cliché that only older people suffer with arthritis so required a lead actor who initially appears be young, fit and healthy to convincingly deliver the deterioration brought on by the condition. An actor who could serve the troubled backstory, yet be the everyman that we can sympathise and identify with.

We also needed to cast a subtle acting talent to bring to life the twin narrative of the elderly, small-business owner who is at the stage in his life where he should retire and desperately needs help from someone he can trust with the business. But ultimately is let down and left to come to wrong conclusions about the young guy who doesn't show up on his first day at work.

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