The newest brilliant campaign for CoorDown (what a history of great work) tackles the casual use of the word, “retard”, or even the not actually euphemistic, R-word. Once again, the power of the story is told through subtle humour and superb acting. Its point is that throwing “retard’ around in conversations reinforces stereotypes, legitimises discrimination, dehumanises people with disabilities and makes full participation in all areas of life more difficult, if not impossible, for them.
Every culture has its own vocabulary of exclusion. In English-speaking countries, the term “retarded” (often referred to as the ‘R-word‘ for those who want to avoid saying it) is used. In Italy, words such as “ritardato” or “mongoloide” carry similar stigma, as does the derogatory use of “retardé” and “débile” in French; or “retrasado” or “mongólico” in Spanish.
For World Down Syndrome Day, New York agency, SMALL, has created the international awareness campaign, JUST EVOLVE, for CoorDown.
The campaign asks a simple question, if society has been able to leave harmful “old habits” in the past, why should it be so difficult to abandon words that harm? In the campaign film, a young man with Down syndrome explains to a man defending his “freedom of speech” why the “R-word” should no longer be used. As the conversation unfolds, the viewer is confronted with a series of historical practices that today seem absurd, disturbing or cruel— such as washing clothes with urine, applying eyebrows made of mouse hair, or selling one’s wife at the market. The film draws a clear parallel – just as we have left those practices behind, we can also leave behind the “R-word” and all the other words that harm and demean people with disability. It’s time to evolve and move on. Because if we keep using these words then, as shown in the film, it is like continuing to wash clothes with urine.
From today and until World Down Syndrome Day on March 21, @CoorDown social mediawill host and amplify stories of people with disabilities and their families, in which they recount which habits of the past have been overcome and how it is time to evolve.
In addition, CoorDown has created an AI agent, curated by Fairflai, trained to guide users who want to understand more about the topic and take action, finding concrete actions to carry out in order to create a culture of respect and inclusion starting from language. With the “Just Evolve” campaign, CoorDown engages companies, media, schools and teachers, families, groups of friends and associations, asking them to commit and become part of the cultural change needed to overcome the “R-word” once and for all. As a first action, CoorDown has joined the petition launched by OMAR, Osservatorio Malattie Rare, which with an open letter asks to change the word, “minorati”, in the Italian Constitution.
JUST EVOLVE is available on the YouTube channel and all the social platforms of CoorDown and its partners. For the film, an international professional cast was chosen, with 19-year-old Noah M Matofsky, a young English actor with Down syndrome, as the protagonist. It was produced by Indian Production, and directed by Martin Holzman with cinematography by Alvar Riu Dolz.
The international campaign was born in Italy with CoorDown, and is supported by Fondazione Cariplo with the contribution of several international associations that strengthen its impact globally: National Down Syndrome Society, Down’s Syndrome Association UK, Canadian Down Syndrome Society, The Achieve Foundation, Together Academy, Global Down Syndrome Foundation, Down Syndrome International, AOJ Woods Foundation, New Zealand Down Syndrome Association, Down Syndrome Australia.
The campaign has also received the support of Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, AB Mauri Italy Spa Società Benefit and Eco Demolizioni s.r.l. Società Benefit and the City of Vigevano.
A video version with audio description and a descriptive transcript were created by the media accessibility company Scribely.
Martina Fuga, President of CoorDown, stated, “We are aware that 90% of the time people use these words it is not to directly offend people with disabilities. But their use contributes to creating a cultural context that associates disability with inability, failure and marginality. The words we choose shape reality — both that of others and our perception of it — they can include or exclude and clarify or confuse. We want to ask every person who still pronounces these harmful expressions today to stop. Not because ‘you can’t say anything anymore’. But because they belong to the past».
Luca Lorenzini and Luca Pannese, executive creative directors, SMALL New York, added, “For many years now, together with Martina, we have been thinking about creating a campaign on this topic. We chose to do it this year, adopting an ironic key that would highlight the absurdity of certain practices of the past. The credit for the success goes to an extraordinary team: to the director Martin, who was able to infuse humor into the historical reconstructions; to Alvar, our Director of Photography, for creating true masterpieces of light; to the set designers and costume designers and to the entire Indiana team for being able to create a work with great aesthetic impact.”
Karim Bartoletti, Partner, MD & Executive Producer, Indiana Production: “This year, once again, we created a film that stands out not only for its insight and creative idea, but also for its tone, look, and crafting. Our guide Noah takes Tim — the ‘everyday man’ who still uses ‘the R-word’ — on a journey through the centuries, showing him episodes from the past that today seem absurd and ridiculous to us, just like that language. With Martín Holzman directing and Alvar Riu’s cinematography, we recreated each era for real, with no digital filters. From the Middle Ages to Ancient Rome to the contemporary setting where Noah and Tim meet, everything was physically built and shot with meticulous attention to set design, costumes, and makeup. This makes Tim’s journey tangible for us as well: by living the past alongside him, we come to better understand the mistake of the present. Our Master of Ceremony Noah makes us smile at the past and reflect on the present. Get it now?”
Credits:
Creative Agency: SMALL
Executive Creative Directors: Luca Pannese, Luca Lorenzini
Creative Director: Paolo Montanari
Managing Director: Alberto Scorticati
Account Manager: Valeria Ravizza
Production Company: Indiana Production
Director: Martin Holzman
Director of Photography: Alvar Riu Dolz
Executive Producer: Karim Bartoletti
Senior Producer: Silvia Bergamaschi
Assistant Producer: Barbara Romanello
Senior Post Producer: Alga Pastorelli
Production Manager: Antonio Mastellone
Production Designer: Amos Caparrotta
Stylist: Sara Gomarasca
Hair & Makeup Artist: Teresa Basili
1st AD: Alberto Calveri
Editor: Luca Angeleri
Colourist: Danilo Vittori
Post Production Audio: Bravagente
Post Production Video: Proxima
