D&AD’s search for the world’s next Ridley Scott, Kathryn Bigelow or Jonathan Glazer moves one step closer today with the announcement of the 2016 Next Director Award shortlist.
The Next Director Award has been created to unearth the best new directorial talent and promote it back to the industry.
One individual, selected from the shortlist of 21 during a final judging session at the 2016 D&AD Festival (20-22 April), will be awarded the title of D&AD Next Director 2016. The winner will be announced on 19 May at the D&AD Awards Ceremony in London.
The award is open to aspiring filmmakers with less than two years commercial filmmaking experience. Entrants could submit up to three films of any type – including short films, commercials, branded content, documentaries and music videos.
This year’s award has been judged by some of the industry’s highest profile names including, but not limited to, Laura Gregory from Great Guns; directors Kim Gehrig, Dougal Wilson and Antoine Bardou-Jacquet from Partizan Paris; and David Knight of Promonews and BUG.
This year’s full shortlist:
● Elizabeth Lo, Hotel 22
● Dexter Navy, A$AP ROCKY
● Daisy Jacobs, The Bigger Picture
● bif, OFFF Porto titles
● bif, Green
● Dent De Cuir, DyE feat. Egyptian Lover ‘She’s Bad’
● Dent De Cuir, The Shoes ‘Drifted’
● New Media Ltd aka Mike Anderson, Ryan Dickie, Abigail Horto, Night Stalker
● Roman Kaelin, Falko Paeper, Florian Wittmann, Wrapped
● Jing Shao, Text History of Jane
● Enrico Mazzanti, The Kiss
● Brad Lubin, Living Nutz
● Brad Lubin, Birth Class
● Sam Southward, After The End
● Conor Byrne, Skittles “Struck By A Rainbow”
● Zack Spiger, The Words You Said
● Alexandra Hsu, Sophie
● Chiara Grabmayr, Moonjourney
● Alexander Engel, This Is It
● Ayse Altinok, Motion Poem
Each shortlisted film director will receive a host of invaluable prizes designed to provide the launchpad for a great career, including:
● Mentoring during the D&AD Festival 2016 from world-leading filmmakers and producers.
● Screenings of their work at the D&AD Festival in London in April, at The Mill in May and at MOFILM events around the world.
● The opportunity to apply for a production grant from MOFILM to work on a commissioned brief.
● Tickets to attend the D&AD Awards Ceremony in May 2016, where the winner will be announced in front of over 1,600 of the industry’s most prominent creatives.
● Fights for the winner to come to London for the event and a D&AD Next Director Pencil.
The overall winner will then be announced at the D&AD Professional Awards Ceremony on Thursday 19 May.