Sketch Films was commissioned by The Legatum Institute to produce a series of films for the launch of the Prosperity Index, an annual publication investigating the level of prosperity in 127 countries.  We produced films in Estonia, Paraguay and Sri Lanka over the summer of 2018. Each film reflected a key trend in The Prosperity Index 2018. The films are now live at prosperity.com.

In Paraguay, the Government has invested significantly in healthcare and education over the last ten years. Our film tells the story of Liz, a young girl who was diagnosed with a terminal heart condition when she was 6 years old. She had the first ever heart transplant carried out in a state hospital in Paraguay. Today she is thriving and is the first member of her family to go to school. Her life has been transformed.

In 1990 in Estonia the average monthly salary was 7 dollars per month. Today the country has one of the highest levels of investment in start-up companies per capita in the world. The government has advanced digital capabilities allowing citizens to vote and sign contracts online. With rising income levels and several high profile start-ups such as Skype, Taxify and Transferwise, the future is bright. The country’s GDP has increased by 800%. For older residents their country has been transformed.

In 2009 the long and bloody civil war in Sri Lanka finally came to an end. 300,000 civilians were displaced and placed in internment camps against their will. Eventually they were re-housed and the process of reconciliation began. It is still ongoing. Some have managed to rebuild their lives despite the horrific suffering they have endured. This is the story of Vasuki, a war widow who lost several members of her family in a horrific bombing raid. Now, she is now determined to live life fully and make the choice to be happy.

Sketch Films specialise in overseas shoots. We work with local producers to source stories and organise the production. For this project, we sourced the stories and managed all aspects of the shoot. We pulled together local production teams and obtained all the required film permits. This was completed within a short time frame. We also established good local media contacts in Paraguay and Sri Lanka, in order to generate further interest around the Prosperity Index.