Apple's CNY shot on iPhone 16 film is a nostalgic, dreamlike musical

Apple is taking viewers on a journey of finding love through the lens of its iPhone 16 Pro. It's latest Chinese New Year campaign titled "I made a mixtape for you", is entirely shot on the tech brand's latest iPhone 16 Pro and follows a young man by the name of Wei. 

At a reunion dinner, Wei is bombarded by questions about his dating life by his relatives, who said that finding someone is not that complicated. He learns from a relative that his father courted his mother with just one mixtape, to which Wei responded "That was the nineties, not now." 

Wei storms off into his room and plays a mixtape he found titled "For my little rose". As 90s dance music begins playing, Wei is transported into a dance club in the year 1994. He watches as people dance in synchronised movements and bright neon clothing. The film later introduces a second character, Man, who is at the club with her friends. Man plans to bring a boy back home for Chinese New Year to avoid questions about her dating life. 

Don't miss: A hit on beloved Apple as 'eavesdropping' and 'spying' associated with US$95m Siri settlement? 

Man and Wei meet and hit it off instantly. Viewers then see a supercut of their relationship through Chinese 90s love songs and dances. However, when the mixtape starts to malfunction and rewind, Wei is dragged out of the 90s fever dream and into reality. 

He returns back to the reunion dinner and finds his parents dancing in the kitchen and humming the same love song he had been singing with Man. The film ends with Wei and another girl walking down a stretch of road towards a fireworks show in the distance. 

The campaign was created with TBWA\Media Arts Lab Shanghai and is directed by The Greatest Showman's Michael Gracey. Gracey also worked with Oscar-winning cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt, Hollywood choreographer Ashley Wallen and Shanghai screenwriter Wu Jue Ren. It aims to capture the advanced camera capabilities of the iPhone 16 Pro. 

“Musical storytelling encompasses so many facets of music, picture, and sound design,” said Gracey. “The incredible thing about iPhone 16 Pro is that you have access to all those things in one device.”

The dance sequences and Wei's solo performances were captured in 120 frames in 4K resolution, while the 'Audio Mix' on the iPhone 16 Pro allows the creators to create a cinematic dialogue. 

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out for more information. 

Apple has made a tradition of producing special short films to celebrate Chinese New Year over the past eight years. 

Last year, Apple unveiled a shot by iPhone campaign too. Titled "Little garlic", the campaign was shot entirely on the iPhone 15 Pro Max and tells the heartwarming story of a young girl with a unique shapeshifting ability. Through her journey, she learns to overcome her insecurities and embraces her true self. The film aims to bring the audience a heartwarming tale about self-discovery in their pursuit of life in the modern world.

Related articles: 
foodpanda hosts neighbourhood-wide party in Tampines to celebrate CNY  
Spritzer invites Malaysians to embrace tradition in heartwarming CNY film  
Geneco grows familial bonds with tree planting initiative this CNY