2023 Winner

White Ribbon, the world’s largest movement to end gender-based violence and promote healthier masculinity, based “I Knew All Along,” by Bensimon Byrne, Narrative and OneMethod, on the revelation that a majority of men in a commissioned survey said that having a daughter made them more concerned about issues women face. The opening shot is a dad holding his baby daughter. He speaks lovingly to her in the voiceover about never having felt so much love and fear: “Fear for you to grow up, to meet certain people, to hold your own. I didn’t know what could happen to you.” As he speaks, various scenes show her growing up, being harassed in school hallways, on the street, at work – focussing on her and her reactions. The script and the camera angles are then flipped. The same scenes are shown, this time showing what she sees, which is the person who is harassing her – and each time, it’s the younger version of the dad. The dad’s voiceover is overlaid on these scenes: “But looking back on my life, and the things that I’ve done, I did know. I knew all along.” In the last scene, the dad’s face registers the reality of what his daughter faces.

Credits

Agency: Bensimon Byrne / Narrative / OneMethod

Chief Creative Officer: Joseph Bonnici
Creative Director: David Mueller
Creative Director: Debbie Chan (Narrative)
Associate Creative Director / Art Director: Ana Seguajauregui Sanchez
Art Director: Nina Hang
Writer: Megan Radisa
Writer: Sophia Wilby (OneMethod)
Agency Producer: Katie Link
Business Lead: Marli Bennett

Production House: Untitled Films
Executive Producer: Tom Evelyn
Director: Hubert Davis
Director of Photography: Kiel Milligan
Line Producer: Ian Fingland

Casting: Jigsaw

Post Production (Offline): Rooster Post
Producer: Sam MacLaren
Producer: Melissa Khan
Editor: Michelle Czuker

Post Production (Online): Fort York VFX
VFX Creative Director: Mike Bishop
Lead Flame Artist: James Marin
Flame Artist: Andrew Rolfe
Flame Assistant: Abraham Lim
VFX Producer: Valerie Moss

Transfer: Alter Ego
Colourist: Eric Whipp

Audio House: Berkeley Inc.
Audio Producer: Tyna Maerzke
Audio Director: Jared Kuemper
Audio Engineer: Jared Keumper