For the ninth consecutive year, Kodak will sponsor the Young Director Award at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival – the most important advertising festival in the world – with over 9000 key players from the international advertising industry expected to attend. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the award, which is presented annually by the Commercial Film Producers of Europe (CFP-E).
The Young Director Award was established by CFP-E in 1999. The competition has five overall categories: broadcast, test, film school, virals and short films. Each category is divided into European and non-European competitions. Some 350 entrants are vying this year for one of the top prizes, as well as a Special Jury Award. The award presentation will take place in the Hilton Hotel Theatre on June 18th at 5 p.m. Winners will receive various prizes, including Kodak Color Negative Film.
“Commercials represent the frontier where the next generation of visual story telling is being invented,” said Elisabete Wells, European Marketing Communications Manager, Kodak Entertainment Imaging. “Commercials have a short time to grab and hold the audience’s attention and to make a favourable and memorable impression. The images have to be compelling enough for viewers to stay tuned every time the spot airs. Many of the most successful commercials around the world are shot on Kodak film.”
“Directors are very skilful in their ability to use subtle variations in colours and contrast to create moods and textures to support their stories and evoke emotional responses. Originating on Motion Picture Film is still the best way to achieve this,” she continued. “All the richness and the nuances in the visual content need to be experienced by the viewer, because the images are the heart of the story. The CFP-E competition is one way we can recognize excellence in this demanding and sharply competitive art form. It is a great opportunity for young filmmakers to exhibit their talent and creativity. Kodak is proud to support this important program again this year.”
François Chilot, President of CFP-E added, “The Young Director Award is not just a simple stepping stone for young talent. If we at CFP-E had made the mistake of constraining the candidates to specific criteria or techniques, this may have been the case. The liberty that we have given them, though, is returned in the form of true creativity and originality.”
According to Chilot, “Kodak believes that this festival, in conjunction with the freedom we allow our candidates and the arrival of new technologies in our profession, presents a unique window of opportunity through which we can observe and mentor the next generation of directors in the creation of what we strive to do every day; create ads that will be noticed, remembered, enjoyed and, especially, shared.”
Kodak’s Entertainment Imaging division
is the world-class leader in providing film, digital and hybrid motion imaging products, services, and technology for the television, feature film and new media industry.
The Commercial Film Producers of Europe
is a non-profit federation for commercial film producers. The members are the national associations representing commercial film producers. Production companies who are members of a national organization are automatically “associate members” of the CFP-E. For further information, go to www.cfp-e.com. For further information on the Young Director Award please go to www.yda2008.com
