Producing a charity film is always one of our favourite projects. Not only can we stretch our creative muscles, try something a bit different and leave a mark on the viewer, but we also get to do it for a good cause. We suspect we’re not alone in that.
Over the years, we’ve created charity films for a huge range of organisations working in fields like mental health, cancer research, disabilities and children’s health. And we’ve probably watched hundreds, if not thousands, more.
We’ve seen plenty that hit the spot, a lot more that followed a tried, tested and safe formula before fading from memory, and a few that we still think about years later. Those are the ones we want to talk about here. The ones that set the bar for charity films, and the ones we’re obsessed with producing ourselves.
So with that in mind, we’ve compiled some of our favourite charity films ever made.
Our Favourite Charity & Non-Profit Films
Charity films can strike a chord for any number of reasons. They might be beautifully shot or have incredible sound design, the cause may speak to us on a deeper level, or there could be a narrative twist that slaps us around the face. Either way, we’ve asked the Gusto team what they think.
UNICEF Sweden: Likes Don’t Save Lives
We start way back in 2013, with UNICEF Sweden’s take on a traditional charity film that makes us viewers question ourselves in uncomfortable ways.
Just 40 seconds long, it starts with a scene of young children in a dark, dirty room, talking about their worries and struggles. It’s something we’ve seen plenty of times before, and it would be very easy to drop a like and scroll straight past. But that’s the point.
The child, Rahim, then goes on to discuss UNICEF’s (then) 177,000 likes on Facebook, and how if they make 200,000 by the summer, everything might be ok. It closes by highlighting how likes and shares don’t ultimately make change.
Why we like it: The contrast between real human needs and the low-effort ‘slacktivism’ that we can all be guilty of hits hard, and it’s a powerful example of how effective a narrative twist can be.
Street Doctors: The Fatal Question
Winning the Grand Prix at the 2026 Smiley Charity Film Awards, The Fatal Question by StreetDoctors “challenges the dangerous myth that there is ever a ‘safe’ place to stab someone” and highlights the very real, fatal consequences of knife crime.
It’s a powerful film that opens by highlighting the UK’s 81% rise in knife crime in the last decade, before asking a range of young people to identify ‘safe’ places to stab someone on a mannequin. In each case, an example of a fatal stabbing is used to dispel the myth.
Why we like it: The film is not only powerful but also educational, and ties into a very important, present-day issue.
Host Nation: Friend in Deed
Charity films can be tough to watch, upsetting and eye-opening. But Host Nation’s Friend in Deed film uses happiness and joy to raise awareness for the work they do helping connect refugees and asylum seekers with friends in their local area.
Why we like it: We see the impact of Host Nation’s work on the people they help in a simple and light-hearted way, helping viewers empathise without pity.
Norwich City FC: #YouAreNotAlone
Another film that leads the viewer one way before flipping the story on its head. Norwich City FC launched their Check in on Those Around You film in October 2023, in conjunction with The Samaritans and to coincide with World Mental Health Day.
In it, we see two Norwich City fans watching games together over the course of a season, with one coming across as very smiley, excited and upbeat, while the other appears to be struggling. In the final scene, one of the men returns alone, and the previously upbeat character is missing. The viewer is then told that sometimes it’s hard to spot when someone can’t cope.
Why we like it: The film’s ending is incredibly powerful, and effectively targets a traditionally hard-to-reach audience.
CALM: Suicidal Doesn't Always Look Suicidal
CALM’s (Campaign Against Living Miserably) Suicidal Doesn't Always Look Suicidal film delivers an equally powerful message in a very different way.
Instead of high production values and elaborate storytelling, CALM used real phone footage of people who have taken their own lives. The visuals of individuals looking happy and healthy, with a haunting version of Bring Me Sunshine playing over the top, create a palpable sense of unease.
Why we like it: This film shows that a strong concept is at the heart of any charity film, and keeping it simple and authentic places all the emphasis on the underlying message.
Alzheimer’s Research UK: Change the Ending
Animated to look like a fairy tale feature film, Change the Ending by Alzheimer’s Research flips the script.
We start by seeing a brave prince save a princess from a dragon, but there is no happily ever after. We see the prince experience the effects of Alzheimer’s until the final scene, where the animation fades into real footage of an elderly man in bed with his wife tending to him.
Why we like it: Change the Ending won Charity Film of the Year at the 2024 Smiley Awards, and we like how the unique animation style gets darker as the story progresses, mirroring the real-life progression of dementia.
States United to Prevent Gun Violence: Guns with History
Created in 2015 in New York, States United To Prevent Gun Violence opened a fake gun store in the city complete with hidden cameras. However, each gun stocked had been involved in a fatal shooting.
Incredibly hard-hitting, authentic and memorable, we see real gun buyers being told the history of some of the firearms they are about to buy.
Why we like it: Charity and non-profit films sometimes have to confront very sensitive and uncomfortable issues. Not only is the concept very strong, but it also doesn’t shy away from the intended message.
The Institution of Engineering and Technology: Epic Pillow Fight!
One of the world’s largest and oldest engineering societies, the IET can trace its history back to 1871. The Epic Pillow Fight! film challenges gender stereotypes and champions women in historically male-dominated fields.
In it, we see a group of women organise and take part in a pillow fight with a difference, featuring drones, machinery, engineering (and the odd explosion), to highlight that just 26% of girls look to pursue STEM as a career compared to 43% of boys.
Why we like it: We like that it’s fun, while also making a serious point about challenging gender roles and empowering women and girls to move into STEM fields.
Scope: Don’t Hold Back
We had to include one of our own. Our Don’t Hold Back film with Scope helped refresh their brand and embody their new position of ‘creating equal futures with disabled people’.
The film represents a wide range of disabilities and highlights the various unique challenges that disabled people face every day. However, we weren’t here to make them superheroes. We wanted to amplify their voices, celebrate their empowerment and bring them to the screen as real people.
We loved making it and were delighted when it won the Gold Judges Award at the 2025 Smileys.
Award-Winning Campaign Films by Gusto
Do you want to work with a production partner who can do something special for your next campaign film? From our base in Soho, Central London, we’ve created award-winning films for brands, charities and non-profits that drive donations, build awareness and stick in the viewer’s memory for weeks, months and years after they’ve launched.
Contact us today to find out how we can do the same for your charity or non-profit.