Flying High, Longlist - Commercial

Médecins du Monde, I'll Get You

Jessy Moussallem

Object & Animal

This ad for Médecins du Monde/Doctors of the World gives voice to Covid-19, as if the virus's results didn't already speak for themselves. "I'll get to you", the narrator intones, while shots of migrants, isolated individuals, and Donald Trump (remember him?) appear on screen. Fortunately, the advertised humanitarian group also move at considerable pace.

Jessy Moussallem is a storyteller whose iconic imagery is both authentic and necessary. Born and raised in Beirut, Jessy pursued her inclination for storytelling at the Lebanese Academy of Arts with her graduation film winning first prize at the European Film Festival. In 2017, Jessy wrote and directed ‘Roman’ – a music video for Mashrou’ Leila. The film included a cast of one hundred women in an ode to the strength and grace of Arab women. The film trended at #1 on YouTube, as well as garnering nominations at the UKMVAs & Cannes Glass Lions, winning Gold at the YDA, and being presented by Ridley Scott at the New Director’s Showcase as one of the 5 most inspiring films in 2017. Jessy followed the success of ‘Roman’ with a video for Agoria’s ‘Embrace’ which explores notions of heroism and sacrifice, and her part-documentary/part-fiction video ‘Heart of Sky’ for Damien Lazurus. Her growing body of commercial work includes spots directed for Levi’s, SNCF, Acadomia and Médecins du Monde. Jessy’s work is characterised by the rich, intimate stories she tells, the craft she displays, and the emotion it elicits.