Jon Stojan
Jean Paulo Lasmar is a creative and purposeful light in commercial cinema. His career, which has been recently distinguished by two consecutive Golden Lion wins at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and honors from esteemed venues such as The One Show, is indicative of a dedication to creating powerful stories and tackling pressing societal issues.
Producing sports documentaries was Lasmar’s first venture into filmmaking. One of his first projects, released by BVI/Disney, focused on the history of Brazilian skateboarding. This endeavor prepared him for a more in-depth investigation of his interest in directing, leading him to enroll in São Paulo’s FAAP to obtain a degree in cinema. A subsequent MFA in Film and Television Production at the USC School of Cinematic Arts expanded his skillset and opened doors to a career in advertising.
When the filmmaker started working on a project that was dear to his heart, a movie on prematurity motivated by his son’s struggle, Lasmar took his own experiences and infused them into his film direction, resulting in a groundbreaking and impactful combination. This moving journey was Breathe: Gabriel’s Story, a movie that became a nationally televised fundraising drive for March of Dimes, a nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies. Awards came pouring in, including wins at the Clio Health and Creative Floor Awards and a Gold in Directing at the Tellys.
Extending this triumph, Lasmar directed The Unwearable Collection, an innovative initiative to bring awareness to generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP), featuring the work of Dutch fashion designer and artist Bart Hess. The film received the Best Story award at the prestigious London Fashion Film Festival. The campaign was created by top health advertising agency Area 23, with its main goal of bringing attention to a rare skin condition affecting thousands, left its mark in the fashion industry, and went beyond the confines of healthcare advertising.
With Eyedar, a movie showcasing the first software that used Lidar technology to help blind people visualize with sound, Lasmar demonstrated his expertise in blending technical advances with storytelling. Again, his directorial prowess shined through as he expertly blended real-life experiences into the film. The project was well-received at Cannes Lions, taking home one Gold, two Silvers, and one Bronze, in addition to Grands Prix at Clio Health, One Show & LIA, proving his versatility across a range of topics and media.
Lasmar’s strong social justice themes emerged in Inequality You Can’t Ignore. This movie used powerful imagery and an augmented reality experience to highlight the differences in breast cancer care received by Black women. The initiative received another Gold at the Cannes Lions, his second consecutive win, demonstrating Lasmar’s dedication to causes that go beyond traditional advertising.
With varied initiatives like bAIgrapher and DiagnostiCookies, which address Alzheimer’s awareness and melanoma prevention, respectively, the director continued to push limits. As his international career grew, he began directing movies in Saudi Arabia, Brazil, France, Portugal, England, the Netherlands, and the United States.
In addition to his remarkable body of work, Lasmar’s leadership style as a director is marked by clear vision, positiveness, and good communication. He highlights the value of emotionally charged storytelling, recognizing the complexity of people and the way conflicts advance stories. From telling his own story in Breath: Gabriel’s Story to sharing the experiences of others in Inequality You Can’t Ignore, Lasmar’s sensibility and skill are evident in every project he directs.
Looking to the future, Lasmar envisions directing consumer work and pushing the envelope in a variety of forms, genres, and technological advancements. He is a strong force in the world of advertising filmmaking because of his unshakable dedication to creating meaningful connections between businesses and customers while maintaining impactful messages.
Jean Paulo Lasmar’s story demonstrates how to forge connections, turn stories into potent tools of change, and increase public awareness of pressing issues. Lasmar’s career path is an inspiration to both seasoned pros and aspiring directors in the ever-changing field of advertising filmmaking.