Young Director Award 2026 winners announced

As another sun-soaked Cannes Lions week gets well underway, the Young Director Award (YDA) has once again shone a spotlight on the next generation of filmmaking talent. 

Since its establishment in 1998, the YDA has run in partnership with shots and become one of the industry's most important launchpads for emerging directors, celebrating standout work across commercials, short films, documentaries, animation, music videos and more.

As a proud sponsor of the awards, shots was there as this year's winners were unveiled, showcasing an impressive mix of bold storytelling, inventive craft and fresh creative perspectives from around the world. From toe wrestling documentaries to powerful social impact films, the winning work offers a glimpse into the future of directing talent.

Below, we've rounded up all of the Gold and Silver winners from each category, along with the directors, producers and production companies behind the work.

Above: Mal Ward, this year's jury chairman, on stage at this year's YDA event.

Animation: 

GOLD - To My Old Nightmare, directed by Sooyeon Shin. 

SILVER - anyone lived in a pretty how town, directed by Daniel Kreizberg, produced by Eric Schutzbank and Akvile Bliujute-Januse, through the STUDIO New York. 

SILVER - She Knows Too Much, directed by Léa Esmaili, produced by Molly Turner, through Blinkink. 

Branded Content: 

GOLD – Asics - Moving Between Spaces, directed by Souf Kinani, through PINK RABBIT.

SILVER – Toe Wrestling, directed by Alfie Whiteman, produced by Abby Bucknall.

SILVER – KidSuper: If He Could, Why Couldn't They?, directed by Segraphy, Joa Spruijt and Robin van Geemen, produced by André Marques, Miguel Teixeira and Lea Enghelabi, through De Kunstfabriek and FutureFrank.

Changing the World Frame by Frame

GOLD – Virgin Alpha, directed by Laura Almstrup, produced by Mette Jermiin, through Slutet.

GOLD – Losing Voices, directed by Elias Ben Dahhou, produced by Niklas Straub and Valentin Schneider, through FABW, SOUP FILM and TPF.

SILVER – W.T.F. Wait, That's Fair?, directed by Caleb Hansen, produced by Reegen Price, through Eastcherry.

SILVER – Still Life, directed by Natasja Briers, produced by Jessa Wouters and Natasja Briers.

SILVER – Paper Angels, directed by Sebastian Hill-Esbrand, produced by Arthur Chan and Sebastian Hill-Esbrand, through GOODNEIGHBOUR, ENTROPICO, GRAVY FILMS and SKIN AND BONES.

Above: Virgin Alpha, directed by Laura Almstrup, won Gold in Changing the World Frame by Frame

Charity Commercial

GOLD – RF-SISU Swedish Sport Confederation, directed by Gustav Bondeson, produced by Mia Sook Young, through Aspekt.

SILVER – Läskvarten — One Quarter A Day, directed by Leia Kågeson, produced by Zoe Dymott, through new—land.

SILVER – W.T.F. Wait, That's Fair?, directed by Caleb Hansen, produced by Reegen Price, through Eastcherry.

SILVER – Help Keep the Night Silent, directed by Jan Sederlöf.

SILVER – Home Is Where The Hurt Is, directed by Bonnie MacRae, produced by Gareth Crothers, through Spindle.

Comedy

GOLD – Sorry, directed by Lisa Mausbach, produced by Minou Berg, through SOUP FILM.

SILVER – THAT'S AI, directed by Sebastian Lopez, produced by Hervé Butoyi, through Encore.

SILVER – Changes, directed by Florence Poppy Deary, produced by Adam Oyejobi, through Biscuit Filmworks.

SILVER – Operation: Make Pamela a Hyytiäinen, directed by Eino Manner, produced by Nita Rehtonen and Henkka Hämäläinen, through Breakfast.

Above: Where Do We Play for RF-SISU Swedish Sport Confederation, directed by Gustav Bondeson, won Gold for Charity Commercial.

Commercial

GOLD – The Periodic Fable, directed by Olivia De Camps, produced by Maya Bury, through SMUGGLER.

SILVER – Pulp Gospel, directed by Jan Sederlöf, produced by Henkka Hämäläinen, through Breakfast Helsinki.

SILVER – Czech Philharmonic - Our Friends in Japan Understand Us, directed by Prokop Jelinek, produced by Prokop Jelinek and Karolína Brumlová, through Narata / Stink Czech Republic.

SILVER – Sorry, directed by Lisa Mausbach, produced by Minou Berg, through SOUP FILM.

SILVER – Qualità Artigianale (Quality takes a lifetime), directed by Ludvig Frøkjær Thomsen, produced by Sara Samøse, through new–land.

Creative Use of Sound

GOLD – Yellow Pages - Ella Douglas, directed by Tom Oliver, produced by Frances Rollin, through Hidden Agency

SILVER – Welcome to Made-It Pro, directed by Avery Stedman, produced by Joe McLaren, Sabrina Deluca and David KA, through Dear Friend

SILVER – Losing Voices, directed by Elias Ben Dahhou, produced by Niklas Straub and Valentin Schneider, through FABW, SOUP FILM and TPF

SILVER – International Klein Blue, directed by Jan Hellwich, produced by Yannic Kress and Marie-Estelle Laudenbach, through Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg GmbH

Documentary

GOLD – La Mar, directed and produced by Jean Chapiro, through Bugambilia

GOLD – Even in Darkness, directed by Kitalé Wilson, produced by Austin Johnson, through East Cherry

GOLD – THE MISSING POST OFFICE, directed and produced by Clement Lefer

GOLD – Opal Fever, directed by Lucy Knox, produced by Alexandra Galloway, through upperfast GmbH

SILVER – Ten Feet Tall and I’m Bulletproof, directed by Ricky Dick, produced by Thomas Ried-Fendt, through INMOTION AG

Dream Pitch

GOLD – rezo, directed by Federico Urdaneta

SILVER – Left Unsaid, directed by Donnagh Fitzpatrick

Above: The Periodic Fable, directed by Olivia De Camps, won Gold in the Commercial category. 

Film School

GOLD – Read In For Me, directed by Štefánia Lovasová, produced by Castor Sprado.

GOLD – Inkubus, directed by Reza Sam Mosadegh, produced by Charlotte Neuwirth, through Hamburg Media School.

GOLD – Shutterspeed, directed by Jasper De Maeseneer, produced by Victor Longin, through HAMLET / RITCS Film School.

SILVER – Watch Me Burn, directed by Sofia Spotti, produced by Luiza de Carvalho, through National Film and Television School.

SILVER – What Could You Buy With Your Body Count?, directed by Štefánia Lovasová, produced by Densu Moseti.

SILVER – Degree of Certainty, directed by Simon Schneider, produced by Maxwell Kagan, through American Film Institute Conservatory.

SILVER – Cloud 99, directed by Leila Murton Poole, produced by Milly Pope, through National Film & Television School.

SILVER – Iron Lake, directed by Grant Swanson, produced by Annine Fan Zhang, through American Film Institute.

SILVER – Chicken Lady, directed by Shuqi Yuan, produced by Xueyang Li.

SILVER – Chaos and Cold Coffee, directed and produced by Joséphine Reboh, through Institut des Arts de Diffusion.

SILVER – Karnama (Well of Death), directed by Pranav Dawar, produced by Pramod Amminabhavi.

First Feature Film

GOLD – 100 Sunset, directed by Kunsang Kyirong, produced by Joaquin Cardoner, through Migmar Pictures Inc.

GOLD – Lurker, directed by Alex Russell, produced by Alex Orlovsky, Duncan Montgomery, Jack Selby, Galen Core, Olmo Schnabel, Francesco Melzi D'Eril, Marc Marrie, Charlie McDowell and Archie Madekwe, through Arts & Sciences.

SILVER – Solitary, directed by Eamonn Murphy, produced by Eamonn Murphy and Alan Breslin, through Prophecy Films Limited.

Above: Losing Voices, directed by Elias Ben Dahhou, won Gold in Changing the World Frame by Frame and Silver in Creative Use of Sound. 

First Series

GOLD – Kiosken, directed by Jesper Ei Karlsson, produced by Petra Krigström Gentile, through Slutet

SILVER – Forever Golf, directed by Sanaa Mothabisa, produced by Dumisani Mvumvu, through Sanaa Films Pty Ltd

Music Video

GOLD – Povoa x Madge - Beat Bunny, directed by Tanner K Williams, produced by Magen Ashley Young, through Magna Studios

SILVER – Genesis Owusu - STAMPEDE, directed by Isaac Brown, produced by Ekow Barnes, through Phonomena Productions Pty Ltd

SILVER – Helium - Chainsmokers, directed by Alex Acy, produced by Adam Bodey and Dylan Palley, through Bodey

Passion Project

GOLD – I AM THE PRIZE, directed by Sai Karan Talwar, produced by Shamender Talwar, Sai Karan Talwar, Ann Clare Bornholt and Paul Jagota, through TUFF.EARTH

GOLD – Virgin Alpha, directed by Laura Almstrup, produced by Mette Jermiin, through Slutet

GOLD – Losing Voices, directed by Elias Ben Dahhou, produced by Niklas Straub and Valentin Schneider, through FABW, SOUP FILM and TPF

SILVER – Insufficient Fare, directed by Scrap Metals, produced by Bre Kelly and Matthew Kaufman, through Brickhead

SILVER – Love Thy Nation, directed by Steezus, produced by Chris Coetsee and Lunga "Steezus" Mthombeni, through Dare Content

SILVER – Abondance, directed by Christian Goue, produced by Stephane Tia, through Cartiersud

Above: Povoa x Madge - Beat Bunny, directed by Tanner K Williams, won Gold in Music Video.

Short Film

GOLD – When Winter Comes, directed by Yuan Yuan, produced by Fan He and Candy Hu, through EnMaze Pictures

GOLD – Glitter Kiss, directed by Augustė Gerikaitė, produced by Lineta Lasiauskaitė, through Plopsas

GOLD – Rise, directed by Jessica J Rowlands, produced by Joe Njagu, through Pluvio Pictures

GOLD – Ivar, directed by Markus Tangre, produced by Rebekka Rognøy and Henrik Dyb Zwart, through Bacon Production

GOLD – Between Late April and Early May, directed by Sophia Smith, produced by Fraser Wolfe, through OPC

SILVER – EGGS, directed by Zac Dov Wiesel, produced by Alex Cook, Autumn Loveday, Will Noyce and Genevieve Triquet, through DIVISION

SILVER – The Good Farmer and the Failed Son, directed by Ailill Martin, produced by Peter Kilmartin, through Chaser

SILVER – Fender Bender, directed by Brian Herrera Gladstone, produced by Brian Herrera Gladstone and Jake Goldin, through Berraco Pictures

SILVER – Ramón Who Speaks to Ghosts, directed and produced by Shervin Kermani and Karla Reyes

SILVER – Talk To Me, directed by Ng Kai Wei, produced by Lee Jade Shan, through Graph Studio Sdn Bhd

SILVER – Two Drops of Blue, directed by D+Y, produced by Hyounggeun Kang, through Caviar

SILVER – With You Always, directed by Florence Poppy Deary, produced by Marija Djikic, through Biscuit Filmworks

SILVER – Jellyfish, directed by Jesse May Fisher, produced by Katie Lambert and Nycollas Abreu, through MrMr Films