For Amy, the brief immediately struck a chord: ‘We all know this story, which is why it was so important to get the tone right. It’s a beautiful bittersweet tale of sacrifice and connection. It’s a simple story and to tell it authentically, you can’t rely on gimmicks or devices.’

Graeme Jenner, Executive Creative Director at King James Joburg says: ‘The first line of Amy’s treatment was that with a script like this she just wanted to get out of the way and let the story tell itself. Of course, it’s not really that simple, it takes a lot of hard work and many crucial decisions to navigate a delicate story like this. From the casting and performances to locations and lighting, it’s a beautifully directed commercial, testament to a director, production team, agency and client crew all pulling in the same direction.’

Amy teamed up with talented local composer, Zethu Mashika, to create an uplifting rendition of the traditional Zulu lullaby ‘Thula Thula’ for the spot.

‘This project came together because everyone working on this had the same vision. Pierre de Villiers was exactly the right DP, he’s so sensitive and thoughtful. Tamzyn Botha, our Art Director, puts her heart and soul into her work and our Wardrobe Stylist Nao Serati is incredibly talented. That’s just to name a few. Of course, the creative agency team was incredible, with such a great group of writers on board. And the client blew our minds, so willing to go on the same journey as us, something you don’t always get to experience in this business. Honestly, every single person that came together to tell this story was 100% invested to deliver a sincere cinematic South African story,’ adds Amy

And that’s a wrap. Congrats to Amy and Ola! Films for creating work that not only shows us what connection looks like but also what it feels like. Wanna (s)talk some more? Ola Films on IDIDTHAT or Company Website.