It’s been a big week at the 64th Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity for The Blaze, a French directing/producing duo–consisting of cousins Jonathan and Guillaume Alric–who also make music. Their music video “Territory”–from their first EP album released earlier this year–first earned them inclusion into Saatchi & Saatchi’s 27th New Directors’ Showcase unveiled on Thursday (6/22). And one evening later, “Territory” won the Cannes Lions Film Craft Grand Prix.
Produced via Iconoclast in the U.S., which serves as the filmmaking roost for The Blaze, “Territory” introduces us to a young Muslim man who returns home, reuniting with family and friends in what appears to be a remote part of the world. The protagonist is charismatic, angry yet sensitive, with his wide range of emotions on display in “Territory” through a mix of visuals and music.
Film Craft Jury president Robert Galluzzo, founder/executive producer of FINCH, Australia, described “Territory” as being “a gift to the Festival audience.” He added, “It’s a stunning example of what vulnerability and poetry can look like on screen. The casting is stunning, the cinematography (of DP Benoit Soler) is stunning, the editing is superb–it’s a piece of film that has an ambiguous yet important narrative that you can watch over and over again.”
“Territory” beat out the other prime contender–Channel 4 Paralympics’ “We’re The Superhumans” directed by Dougal Wilson of Blink for 4Creative, London–for the Film Craft Grand Prix. Featuring more than 140 disabled individuals performing incredible feats, this Channel 4 anthem of empowerment was performed by The Superhuman Band, a 16-member ensemble of musicians with disabilities. The film was released in conjunction with the 2017 Paralympic Games.
From 2,490 entries in Film Craft, 103 Lions were awarded: 17 Gold, 33 Silver and 52 Bronze along with the Grand Prix.
Digital Craft
Meanwhile another music video, Bjork’s “Notget VR” experience, garnered the Digital Craft Grand Prix at Cannes. Warren Du Preez and Nick Thornton Jones of W&N Studio directed the real-time virtual reality experience, working in concert with London VFX house Analog. The piece captures Bjork’s digital avatar cavorting in an ethereal world.
Digital Craft Jury president Henry Cowling, creative director, UNIT9, UK, said that the work “combines all the facets of digital craft to the highest possible level. It’s breaking new ground in media storytelling and experience design and is doing it in a way that’s absolutely virtuous.”
From 924 entries in Digital Craft, 37 Lions were awarded: 6 Gold, 11 Silver and 19 Bronze along with the Grand Prix.
Creative Effectiveness
Winning the Creative Effectiveness Grand Prix was “Van Gogh’s Bedrooms: Let Yourself In” from Leo Burnett Chicago for client the Art Institute of Chicago. Creative Effectiveness Jury president Jonathan Mildenhall, chief marketing officer of Airbnb, said that the best Creative Effectiveness work impacts audiences, business, culture and the creative community at large. The Grand Prix-winning work used creativity to breathe new life into an organization, introducing it to a younger, broader audience and creating a huge global conversation. Mildenhall noted, “It clearly understood how to live in the uncomfortable space necessary for the work to be truly remarkable.”
Key members of the creative team behind “Van Gogh’s Bedrooms”–John Regan and Tor Lemhag–have since moved over to FCB Chicago as VPs, creative directors.
From 172 entries received, 21 Lions were awarded in the Creative Effectiveness competition: 5 Gold, 7 Silver and 8 Bronze and the Grand Prix winner.
Radio
From 1,483 entries in Radio, 63 Lions were awarded: 7 Gold, 22 Silver, 33 Bronze and the Grand Prix–which went to three funny and moving executions for KFC by Ogilvy & Mather Johannesburg: “Repeat the Punchline,” “Long Red Thin Shape,” “No One Cheerses.”
Cyber Young Lions
And finally, the Cyber Young Lions competition winners were announced during the awards show:
- Gold: Michael Phillips and Scott Kooken from Youngdogs Netherlands, The Netherlands
- Silver: Casper Mandrup and Fie Lyster from Zenith, Denmark
- Bronze: Martina Gonzalez Calderon and Matias Paglieri from Wunderman Buenos Aires, Argentina
