At the Palais des Festivals here today,  Saatchi & Saatchi celebrated 25 years of the New Directors’ Showcase by breaking with the recent tradition of technologically groundbreaking live shows, and going back to the grassroots of the NDS to celebrate the unrivalled directing talent that made it all possible.

In previous years the NDS has opened with an inspiring theatrical piece. This year, the 25^th year, Saatchi & Saatchi will rely on the names and rich archive that sits within the NDS, and call upon their alumni to engage in an experiment in film, that allows focus to rest solely on the screen. It is highly appropriate that the screen is the hero. And the screen inspires and gives a magical introduction to the reel for 2015. To make this happen, Saatchi & Saatchi invited 25 directors to answer the brief.

Each director was given a brief: to create a 60 second film, end their film with a prop from their original Showcase film, and start their film with the preceding director’s prop. The unique result is ‘25×25: An Experiment in Film’.

Pablo Del Campo, Worldwide Creative Director of Saatchi & Saatchi commented: “The film 25×25 is a celebration to thank the amazing directors who have made the New Directors’ Showcase possible. It is testament to the enduring influence of the Showcase on both commercial and experimental film. The legacy started with Paul Arden and Bob Isherwood. We thought that this year everything should be on screen. If you have a strong heritage you have to celebrate it.”

The esteemed 25×25 directors are; Daniel Kleinman, Dawn Shadforth, Floria Sigismondi, Jonathan Glazer, Michel Gondry, Ivan Zacharias, Traktor, Dante Ariola, Ringan Ledwidge, Antoine Bardou-Jacquet, Carl Erik Rinsch, Noam Murro, Tim Bullock, Dougal Wilson, James Rouse, Jamie Rafn, Fredrik Bond, Philippe Andre, Jake Scott, Ne-o, David Wilson, Daniel Wolfe, Ilya Naishuller, Vania Heymann and Charlie Robins. 

Following the premier of 25×25, the NDS Class of 2015 was revealed, with a Showreel of 14 young directors currently making waves in the film industry.

The screening was sponsored by Corbis, a leading digital content and worldwide entertainment rights company founded by Bill Gates.

Andy Gulliman, Producer of 25×25 and Saatchi & Saatchi’s Worldwide Director of Film and Content commented:  “The New Directors’ Showcase has mapped the cultural and commercial zeitgeist in each of its 25 years, and how it has shifted according to the tastes and technologies of the times. The willingness of each of the 25 directors to contribute to this experiment in film for the New Directors Showcase underscores the value of promoting emerging creative talent.”

Saatchi & Saatchi’s New Directors’ Showcase Class of 2015:

Ben Knight | Denali

Chandler Levack & Jeremy Schaulin-Rioux Pup| Guilt Trip

Charlie Robins Klangkarussell | Netzwerk (Falls Like Rain)

Dent de Cuir DyE | She’s Bad

Dexter Navy A$AP Rocky | L$D

Elizabeth Lo | Hotel 22

Eric Kissack | The Gunfighter

Factory Fifteen The Bug | Function / Void

Guillaume Panariello Siska | Unconditional Rebel

Helmi Tiga | Bugatti

Kyungmin Woo | JohnnyExpress

Maria Takeuchi & Frederico Phillips | as·phyx·i·a

Young Replicant Flying Lotus | Coronus, The Terminator

Yvan Fabing| Garage

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Corbis
Founded in 1989 by Bill Gates, Corbis^® is a leading digital content and worldwide entertainment rights company. We empower agencies, brands, publishers, and other media producers to capture the attention of audiences worldwide by integrating premium and timely content into their communications. From exceptional creative, documentary, and breaking entertainment content, to product and media integration services, Corbis helps elevate projects, amplify brands, and captivate any audience.