'The Philipstown WireCar Grand Prix' Screens in Official Selection at Sundance-Sanctioned BrandStorytelling

The Philipstown WireCar Grand Prix, a feature length brand documentary, directed by WARD (Paul Ward), screens in Official Selection this week at BrandStorytelling.com, a sanctioned event of the Sundance Film Festival, in Utah.

Produced by Cape Town-based Giant Films in creative partnership with Accenture Song South Africa, the 75-minute documentary signals a growing appetite for brand-backed cinematic storytelling.  

The Philipstown WireCar Grand Prix is a hybrid documentary following a group of kids in the remote Karoo town of Philipstown, who build hand-made ‘draadkarre (wire cars) from tin cans and scrap metal to compete in The Philipstown WireCar Grand Prix, the only race of its kind in the world.  Spotlighting the artistry and ingenuity behind the wire cars, the film affirms the dignity, creativity, and resilience of the children of Philipstown. The documentary expands into stylised CGI sequences that visualise the racers’ imagined worlds, marrying WARD’s photographic humanism with a highly designed poetic visual language. 

Widely recognised for his poetic visual style and human-centred approach, WARD brings a sensibility shaped by years photographing South African youth subcultures before transitioning into moving images. His commercial work for brands such as Adidas, Nike, New Balance and Guinness has earned him global recognition, including the Award for Visual Style at AICP and a D&AD Wood Pencil for Direction, and has led to collaborations with world class talent across sport and culture.

“In our research and time spent with the community, one truth stood out clearly, the wirecar is so much more than a toy.” says Ward, “ It’s a portal into joy, into self-expression and freedom. The moment children push their handcrafted cars, the weight of their environment seems to lift. They become creators of their own worlds.”

But the film’s narrative doesn’t end at the credits. The documentary serves as the cornerstone of a wider social impact ecosystem built to channel international attention into tangible upliftment. The newly formed Philipstown WireCar Foundation now operates year-round programming for youth in the town, while a wire-car-inspired mobile racing game and e-commerce store create sustainable revenue streams for the community’s artisans and makers.

For Giant Films, The Philipstown WireCar Grand Prix is indicative of their commitment to filmmaking that bridges independent craft, brand storytelling, and social impact. Giant has become one of South Africa’s most respected production companies, launching distinct directorial voices and increasingly operating in the space where culture and cinema converge.

The BrandStorytelling selection highlights a shift toward long-form brand-originated work capable of competing on a cinematic, cultural and narrative stage.. For WARD, it also marks his arrival as a feature-length director.