Individuals with intellectual disabilities, like autism and Down syndrome, face disproportionate barriers in accessing meaningful employment opportunities. In France, individuals with intellectual disabilities are two to three times more affected by unemployment than the rest of the population, with only 0.5 percent having a job. In the US, over seven million people have mental or cognitive disabilities, and 80% of them are unemployed. Recognizing this glaring inequality, Café Joyeux was established with a global mission: to transform society's perception of disability by dedicating its efforts to the employment and training of people with mental and cognitive disabilities. With 18 locations across Europe, Café Joyeux has recently expanded its reach, opening its first shop in Manhattan, NY.

Inspired by a true story, 47 is Café Joyeux’s completely hand-made, animated stop-motion film created not just for, but by the Down syndrome community. Every aspect, from music to character design is created with individuals with and touched by Down syndrome. Our film follows the life of Robert, a man with Down syndrome. Rejected by others as a child, he embarks on a personal journey symbolized by a raft. Along the way, he faces challenges that represent different life stages. In these scenarios, he recognizes that the world simply isn't ready to recognize his greatness and continues his odyssey. Finally, at age 47, he finds acceptance and purpose at Café Joyeux, a place where the world finally embraces his extraordinary abilities. The film is a heartwarming tale of resilience, acceptance, and inclusion.

The craft of the film was developed with the community. Robert’s character was crafted by an artist, who is a father to a child with Down syndrome, in collaboration with his son. The design of the secondary characters reinforces the perspective of the world through Robert’s eyes. Manipulating the proportions of characters, such as elongating their arms and introducing peculiar traits like masked faces, emphasized that the depicted scenarios, along with what was presented to Robert within them, were unjust and hindered his true potential from shining through.

Colors also play a significant role in the story, with the yellow scarf symbolizing both Café Joyeux’s brand color and Robert’s mother's words of encouragement that guide him through his journey, and are reflective of the company's ethos of believing in oneself. The entire odyssey takes place in his imagination, and uses a mix of warm and colder tones, reflecting Robert's resilience in approaching the challenges of colder, solitary moments with a positive and warm mindset.

We needed a song that embodied the emotional odyssey of our main character. The song “Carry On” by Grammy-award-winning FUN captures the intimacy of Robert’s journey while demonstrating his confidence throughout. To bring the voice of the community through every stage of production, we re-recorded “Carry On” with talented musicians from across the Down syndrome community, José Omar Davila and Sujeet Desai, with FUN’s lead singer Nate Ruess’ powerful vocal delivery.

The film increased Café Joyeux job applications and brand recognition, while helping in-store traffic grow exponentially.