AMAZON has launched its Christmas advert for 2020, and it features a ballet dancer whose performance is cancelled by coronavirus.
The heartbreaking story follows French ballet dancer Taïs Vinolo as she prepares for the role of a lifetime.
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The advert starts as Taïs is picked for the star role in the end of the year performance at her ballet school.
When the school closes due to Covid-19, she continues to train regardless, in and around her neighbourhood.
The ballet dancers at her school also train together from the comfort of their homes through video calls.
However, later in the year, Taïs’ hopes are dashed as the winter performance is cancelled after all.
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Left devastated and heartbroken, her younger sister and the community around her secretly pull together to give her a stage outside their block of flats and an audience.
With the help of a flashlight bought from Amazon, the ballet dancer finally performs an emotional finale for her awestruck neighbours in the snow.
The advert features an arrangement of the song “The Show Must Go On” by Queen, and was directed by Melina Matsoukas, who’s previously worked on music videos for Beyoncé’s Formation and Rihanna’s We Found Love.
The ad will first feature on telly in the first ad break of Great British Bake Off tomorrow at 8pm, but you can watch it above already.
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There’ll be four versions of the advert, with lengths varying from 120 seconds to just 20 seconds.
Simon Morris, vice president of global creative at Amazon, said: “Our TV ad is inspired by, and pays tribute to, the unbeatable human spirit and the power of community that we have witnessed so often this year.”
While Taïs Vinolo added: “When I was growing up in the French countryside, there were no young black girls studying ballet with hair like mine, or even on TV, meaning I had no one to identify myself with.
“Being on this shoot helped so much with this, enabling me to own who I really am, who I want to be and what I represent.
“I am so proud to have been part of this project since the message of it means a lot to me and even more so in this very difficult time that the world is going through.”
Last year, viewers praised Amazon’s Christmas advert saying it was the best they’d seen.
It featured a whole host of people singing and dancing to Solomon Burke’s classic track, “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love”.
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Argos released its festive advert on Sunday – the first one for 2020 – and it’s about Christmas magic with Gary Barlow’s new single as the soundtrack.
The most hotly anticipated advert of the year – John Lewis – usually drops in the first two weeks of November.
In the true spirit of Christmas, the retail giant is using its festive campaign this year to help raise £5million for struggling families.
‘Everybody Needs Somebody’ – Amazon Christmas advert will have you dancing
