Born to make drama - the obligatory Young Director Award at Palais Stephanie - voodoo power, women from a dispenser, bizarre first dates, dad's love, ....

YDA is the newcomer directors’ event in Cannes. The competition is divided into six categories (broadcast commercials, web films, branded short films, film school commercials, test commercials and for the first time - music video), which are in themselves categorised into European and non-European works.

TBWAPHS contributed the opener, ‘Double Life’ with the motto ‘Born to make drama’. Both this spot as well as a selection of our favourite spots are available here on GoSee.

The SPECIAL JURY AWARD and the first prize in the ‘European Branded Short’ and ‘European Filmschool’ were awarded to – and we expected nothing else - WE MISS YOU by director Hanna Maria Heidrich, born in 1984 in the beautiful Black Forest. Timo SCHAEDEL c/o DBC's CAR PARTS won the 'European Branded Shortfilms' category.

The funniest moment however was when Japanese director Wataru Sato, who managed to snap up the second prize in the ‘Non European Broadcast’ category for Dad’s Love, took the stage. Due to the fact that he is not well versed in English, he thanked us in the most fluid Japanese and went on to converse with event’s presenter Francois Chilot in the most beautiful mix of Japanese, French, Denglish, Whathaveyou. Good times.

One of the editorial office’s favourites is the CONTROL music spot by Pieter Hugo. Another must-see is the ‘Nokia N8’ spot as well as the ‘Dirt Devil’ spot, which we already featured during the Saatchi-Showcase NGDS on the ADC in Frankfurt and will get its due in another section of this newsletter. We are also delighted to meet director and YDA winner from 2010, Isa Pahl, once more, who presented ‘Eckige Weten’ for Uniplan this year.

If it should just so happen that after 2,5 hours of awards ceremony, one’s memory may begin to fade – the quality of the presented works was more than convincing throughout. In wise anticipation, the organisers shortened the proceedings. Still, and this is probably due to the webfilm and music video categories in particular, one had to endure the odd, inevitable length.

Another thing to note was the rather peculiar discord regarding one or the other award winner. In parts, the audience made their opinions about some of the more irritating choices of the jury heard – much to the enjoyment of Francois. In some categories, there were two first awards and in others, there is only the second place. Of course, there were also two second places somewhere. The whole razzle-dazzle turned out to be quite scientific and unappealing for the younger crowd.

It was fun seeing how the winners of the YDA award(s) were chased across the beach during the after drinks, a good ol’ tradition. Here are some snapshots.

The YDA Awards are masterminded by CFPE – the federation for ‘European Commercials Producers Associations’, supported by Shots. The presenter, eloquent as usual, was CFPE president Francoi Chilot of Les Producers, supported by business luminaries such as Marc Versteeg (Pirates ‘N Paradise) or Ric Scheuss (Tro Music). The awards were handed out by the business’ own old master, Manfred Vogelsänger.

Last years’ winners include the likes of Neill Blomkamp, Chris Cairns, Ringan Ledwidgeand Aleksander Bach who all went down their own paths one or way or another. The competition is open to newcomer directors, who have produced a maximum of four first spots in the previous year.


Here is the list:

Non-European Broadcast

2nd Prize - Dad’s Love, Director: Wataru Sato, Production Company: TYO Inc., Japan

Shortlist
Blender, Director: Michael Lockshin, Production Company: Bazelevs, Russia
Let there be light, Director: Helen Clemens, Production Company: Plaza Films, Australia


Non-European Test Commercials

2nd Prize - First Date, Director: Ben Callner, Production Company: Collective, USA

Shortlist
Volkswagen – Escape, Director: David Colin, Production Company: freelance director, Australia
“A Boy And His Tire”, Director: Jeannette Godoy, Production Company: Superlounge, USA

Non-European Filmschool

2nd Prize - Public Execution, Director: Y-C Tom Lee, Production Company: Art Center College of Design, USA

Shortlist
Voices from the Field, Director: John X. Carey, Production Company: Art Center College of Design, USA
The World Bullies you when you can’t see, Director: Garon Campbell / Danielle Erasmus, Production Company: AFDA, SA

Non-European Webfilms

1st Prize - WORDS, Director: Everynone, Production Company: Epoch Films, UK
2nd Prize - Wolf is back, Director: Michael Lockshin, Production Company: Bazelevs, Russia

Shortlist
December, Director: Andreas Pasvantis, Production Company: 328 Stories, Netherlands
Ethan, Director: MOS, Production Company: Industry Films, Canada

Non-European Branded Shortfilms

1st Prize - Hong Kong Honey, Director: Kiku Ohe, Production Company: Exit Films, Australia

Shortlist
Converse Jacky, Director: Rowan Cloete, Production Company: Long Island Media, SA
Levi’s Things Come Together, Director: Daniels, Production Company: Prettybird, USA
Converse Sipho, Director: Rowan Cloete, Production Company: Long Island Media, SA
COS

Non-European Music Videos

1st Prize - Spoek Mathambo “Control”, Director: Pieter Hugo & Michael Cleary, Production Company: Orange Films, SA
2nd Prize - Cordrazine ‘Always Coming Down’, Director: Stephen Carroll, Production Company: The Otto Empire, Australia

Shortlist
Turn Up The Volume, Director: Miles Jay & Derek Blais, Production Company: New Media Athletes, Canada
By Some Miracle, Director: David Altobelli, Production Company: Symphony 19, USA

European Broadcast

2nd Prize - I am the rules, Director: alexandliane, Production company: Factory Films, UK

Shortlist
Love Life. Fight Cancer, Director: Lennart Verstegen, Production company: Wefilm, Netherlands
Auction, Director: Nicole Volavka, Production company: Lucky Man Films, Czech Republic
NKF ”Record Rhop”, Director: Andreas ”bombom” Lisberg, Production company: Paradox Reklamefilm, Norway

European test commercials

1st Prize - Femme-o-matic, Director: Jelmar Hufen, Production company: Comrad, Netherlands

Shortlist
Clever Dick, Director: Daniel Perez, Production company: TBWAparis, France
Because I Like You, Director: Davide Mardegan, Production company: Cric, Italy
Balloons, Director: Timo Schaedel, Production company: Timo Schaedel, Germany

European film school

1st Prize - Dirtdevil – Exorcist, Director: Andreas Roth
1st Prize - We Miss You, Director: Hanna Maria Heidrich
2nd Prize - Whatever Happened, Director: Christian Mielmann
Production company: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Shortlist
Opel OPC, Director: Sandin Puce, Production company: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, Germany
One, Director: Mario Zozin, Production company: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, Germany
The Customer, Director: Kai Schonrath, Production company:Filmakademie Baden Württemberg, Germany
A World Without Electricity, Director: Stephan Hilpert, Production company: HFF München, Germany
the Journey, Director: Thomas Garber, Production company: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, Germany

European webfilms

1st Prize - Nokia N8, Director: Sumo Scienc, Production company: Aardman, UK
2nd Prize - Nohair – the Carpet, Director: Georg von Mitzlaff c/o DBC, Production company: Element e Filmproduktion gmbh, Germany

Shortlist
La Senza – Cup Size Choir, Director: Aneil Karia, Production company: Skin Flicks, UK
Facebook Unfriend Coal, Director: Daniel Bird, Production company: Savage, Czech Republic
Amnesty International, Director: Emre Olcayto, Production company: Denzzo, Belgium
Uniplan “Eckig”, Director: Isabel Prahl, Production company: Element e Filmproduktion gmbh, Germany
Lira’s Manifest, Director: Hauke Hilberg,Production company: Czar Film gmbh, Germany

European branded short films

1st Prize - the Car Parts, Director: Timo Schaedel, Production company: Timo Schaedel, Germany
1st Prize - We Miss You, Director: Hanna Maria Heidrich, Production company: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Shortlist
Clever Dick, Director: Daniel Perez, Production company: TBWA Paris, France
EF Int. Language Centers –Live the Language– Paris, Gustav Johansson, Camp David Film, Sweden
Nokia N8, Director: Sumo Science, Production company: Aardman, UK

European music videos

2nd Prize - Esthers, Director: Charles de Meyer, Production company: Tall Stories, UK
2nd Prize - Karl X Johans – Flames, Director: Gustav Johansson, Production company: Camp, Sweden

Shortlist
Metronomy – She Wants, Director: Jul & Mat, Production company: Solab, France
Patrice “Ain’t got no”, Director: Guillaume Cagniard, Production company: Cosa, France
When I Am King, Director: Sverre Fredriksen, Production company: Submarine Channel, Netherlands