Hennep Uitvaartzorg: Proefrit

When was the last time you saw a great ad for funeral services? A rhetorical question, you might think - until now.

This beautifully-crafted spot for Hennep Uitvaartzorg, a funeral parlour in Suriname, South America, is something of a mould-breaker for the category. Created and produced by Untold Stories and directed by Hesdy Lonwijk (who's repped by Annex Films in the UK), the ad opens with an atmospheric montage of an open casket, drapes blowing in the wind as mourners dressed in purple shuffle along a corridor, and a plumed horse canters down the road pulling the hearse. Suddenly, a candle is snuffed out. The music takes a jazzy turn, and a pall-bearer breaks into a jaunty little dance...

We won't spoil the twist - but take it from us, it's worth a watch.