Have you had a chance to look at the new animated Short Film "The Park Bench." This award-winning film, developed with Black creators, tells the story of a family dealing with sickle cell disease and sheds light on the wealth and health gaps across communities. In the film, much like in real life, the Aflac Duck is there to help the family recover.

The film was recently selected for three more prestigious film festivals: The Roxbury International Film Festival, Brooklyn Film Festival's KidsFilmFest, and the Charlotte Black Film Festival.

And in case you missed it, Grammy® award-winning artist NAS shared his connection to the message behind "The Park Bench" during the BET Awards. 

Where It All Started

"Close the Gap" was created to raise awareness about disparities in the U.S. healthcare system.

As part of the initiative, Aflac published the Aflac Care Index, a survey highlighting Americans' financial difficulties with healthcare. 

Almost two-thirds (65%) of Americans' total savings are equivalent to or less than their health insurance out-of-pocket maximums. Nearly a quarter (24%) of insured Americans have $0 in savings, with just under half (48%) having $1,000 or less in savings. And 67% of insured Americans don't have supplemental health insurance coverage.

To raise awareness for the issue, Aflac will release its first film, "The Park Bench." The film follows Bella, a little girl whose father is diagnosed with Sickle Cell Disease. One day, she meets a duck (Aflac's mascot) with a broken wing on a park bench. Bella brings the duck home, and its presence slowly helps the father heal. 

A powerhouse team of Black creators created the animated short. Carl Reed of Lion Forge Animation, the only black-owned animation studio in the U.S., produced the film. Rob Edwards, writer of Disney's "The Princess and the Frog," directed. Rapper Nas penned the musical score.

The film will premiere on Twitch on January 22, 2022, and is available to stream on Roku. 

"The Park Bench" was also an official selection for the Sundance Film Festival event, Brand Storytelling 2022.

The third leg of the "Close the Gap" initiative is CareGrants, Aflac's pledge to donate $1 million to families, organizations, and individuals who need help with medical expenses in 2022. Aflac also intends to award $500,000 in local grants to communities identified by the Aflac Care Index as significantly impacted by medical debt.