As Steamboat Willie ventures through today’s world of screens and isolation, he feels more lonely than ever, until a blackout rolls through the city. Suddenly people looking up from their screens can appreciate the artistry of this nonagenarian maestro, and even as the power comes back on in the city, everyone joins in for a big musical number with Steamboat Willie, finally celebrating him again after all these years.

For over 100 years, Retiro dos Artistas has provided a home and helped care for thousands of retired entertainment industry professionals in Rio de Janeiro, giving back to those who have contributed to Brazilian—and global—culture with the beauty, love, and humanity that society needs from its artists.

But as a philanthropic organization, Retiro dos Artistas relies completely on donations and volunteers to provide 50 residences and accompanying facilities, costing dozens of thousands of Brazilian reais a month.

So we asked ourselves, how can we support one of the oldest retirement homes in Brazil and get the word out to potential donors all over the world? The answer: by engaging the world’s most famous and recently retired spokesmouse to spread our message.

A legal fold—“Steamboat Willie” entering the public domain at the beginning of 2024—opened the door to a cultural moment we could seize upon to help the Retiro dos Artistas home evangelize their mission: to serve retired actors, singers, instrumentalists, producers, costume designers, makeup artists, and other entertainment and Telenovela stars from the past in Rio de Janeiro.

As one of the most culturally significant characters in modern history, Steamboat Willie represents a generation of aging entertainment icons who audiences can connect and empathize with, because they’ve known him all their lives. And while cartoon characters typically don’t grow old, the film ages 96-year-old Willie to depict the real-life challenges that fall on these aging stars—whether they’re world-renowned or local heroes—to show the human story of what happens when these cherished characters step out of the spotlight.

The film features Steamboat Willie, a celebrated retired musician, promoting awareness for Retiro dos Artistas, a unique retirement home. Using this character provides a rare opportunity to showcase the challenges of loneliness faced by older adults, connecting with fans of Telenovelas in the US and potentially turning them into supporters of eldercare for this retirement home in Rio.

This helps improve the brand perception of Retiro dos Artistas, encouraging commercial support and donations. The film also utilizes Retiro dos Artista's access to US Latino and Hispanic audiences, resulting in a significant increase in site visits and donations for retired stars living in the retirement home.