Partnering with award-winning, Syrian director, Talal Derki, we went right into the heart of the refugee crisis and told the uplifting story of a few selfless heroes. Three older ladies and a handful of fishermen from a tiny island named Lesvos in Greece, who over the course of a summer received more than 300.000 refugees. As a result of their efforts during this time, the villagers were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. This is the true and inspiring stories of Amelia, Martiza, Konstantina, Stratis and Thanasis.

Johnnie Walker is a brand that lives its purpose - to inspire people to be more than they are today. To inspire them to progress. It’s a brand that enables people to participate and contribute to the stories they share with them – as was the case for Ode to Lesvos.

Using the migrant crisis as context, Johnnie Walker looked to share the stories of those taking a positive action in the face of an impossible situation. Over two months a small, close knit documentary style crew; lead by Director Talal Derki captured the lives of the locals of Lesvos and their incredible stories. Once complete, this content was shared globally via film festivals, online placements and social channels, both owned and earned, being viewed over 54 million times online.

Presented on World Peace Day, the online film series has been viewed more than 54 million times. It was independently picked up by a number of news-sources, including The Guardian, who featured Pulitzer Prize winning photographer Daniel Etter’s portraits of the film’s protagonists. Johnnie Walker also worked with Mercy Corps to raise donations and awareness of their cause. The long film was showcased at film festivals across Europe, including AegeanDocs, where it received a standing ovation.