A thought-provoking new film from the he International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) highlights the work of war zone surgeons, by imagining a world in which these brave doctors are hero-worshipped like soccer stars rather than risking their life in being attacked. 

Created via Saatchi & Saatchi France, the ad shows people across the world watching what at first appears to be a big game, but it turns out to be a surgical operation. As a doctor removes a bullet from a wound, he's cheered on by millions and hailed a hero. His rise to fame and celebrity status results in appearances on the front page of newspapers, as a character in video games and as a toy minifigure. French player Blaise Matuidi appears in the final scene, saying that in an ideal world, surgeons would be treated like players, and urging people to support them. Stephane Barbato of Prodigious Films directed the ad.

The campaign comes as the ICRC wants to raise awareness of doctors' safety in warzones: at least 3,780 attacks were perpetrated against health personnel and infrastructure between 2016 and 2020, in an average of 33 countries seeing conflict or violence, according to its data.

"Attacks on doctors, nurses and medical centres do not get nearly as much attention as they should. We hope this campaign will help generate as much support for protecting health workers as the world’s best football players regularly receive from their fans,” said Jennifer Hauseman, ICRC Director of Communications and Information Management, in a statement.