CTV and Becel responded late yesterday to Sarah Polley withdrawing support from her own short film Heart, which she created for the Heart and Stroke Foundation‘s Heart Truth campaign.
Polley pulled her name from the project because “my film is also being used to promote a product,” namely Becel, a Unilever brand.
Polley apparently created the short film without knowledge of Becel’s involvement. She said she has “never actively promoted any corporate brand, and cannot do so now.”
CTV, the film’s presenting network, and Becel jointly issued a statement in response to the news, but did not directly address Polley’s actions.
The statement said Becel, a “founding sponsor” of the Heart Truth campaign, had “commissioned a powerful, two-minute short film to put heart health on the radar of Canadian women.” The statement said the film was “designed to inspire Canadian women to love and take care of their hearts.”
Heart is set to air during the Academy Award broadcast March 7.
