SMUGGLER

“Longing to create a visual narrative to accompany the themes of his debut EP, “LAST NAME: POPE,” actor-musician Jeremy Pope reached out to SMUGGLER director C Prinz in the midst of the pandemic. Fostering an almost instant synergy, the pair spent three years discussing everything from the church experience to the Black experience, queerness to the overall anxieties pervading our society. In their 20-minute short film “God is Good” they showcase his journey to self-acceptance as a Black queer man. Pope and Prinz tell Yaya Azariah Clarke about the process behind creating their visual universe and the sense of freedom they hope it might bring to others.”

“’Never Just a Period,’ created by Essity’s longtime agency AMV BBDO and directed by Lucy Forbes, aims to start an open conversation about the dissonance between what women are taught to expect and the reality of their experiences around menstruation. The film uses a mix of comedy and hyperbolic visuals to depict women’s experiences and emotions that are often ignored or dismissed.”

“Created by TBWA/Media Arts Lab and directed by Ivan Zacharias, the two-minute film is like a scene from “The Birds” (1963), featuring a fantastical, dystopian depiction of bird-like surveillance cameras chasing and attacking people in a quest to observe their browsing data. The flock grows with each surveillance camera and the tracking becomes eerily unnerving, until iPhone users begin using Safari for privacy protection.”

“Visionary SMUGGLER director Adam Berg helps HBO Unveil their new platform ‘Max’, the enhanced service replacing HBO Max. Adam Berg, known for his cinematic style, brings his exceptional talent to Max in this advertisement, transcending traditional boundaries. The ad seamlessly blends elements of drama, fantasy, and real-life moments to showcase the diverse and rich content available on the platform.”

“Few, if any, commercial directors can claim to have made three spots in 2023 that were as affecting as Tom Hooper’s long-form work for Vanish, Montefiore and Chevrolet. While quite different in their storylines and executions, the three films have a compelling common thread—lead characters for whom it’s challenging to connect with others, due to autism, cerebral palsy and Alzheimer’s, respectively. And in each case, Hooper’s deeply empathetic direction brings their stories beautifully to life.”

“While Netflix commemorates the 40th anniversary of Brest’s original with this sequel, Molloy spoke with Variety about how he sought inspiration from 1980s cinema, action-oriented and otherwise, to create the new film’s larger-than-life set pieces, and how the Beverly Hills he saw in that venerated first film set the stage for him to launch his feature directorial career.”

“Christopher Storer’s The Bear begins its third year with an episode utterly unlike any other in the series, all but demanding viewers take a breath and slow down alongside Carmy.”

“The win marks the company’s 5th Palme d’Or and second Palme in three years. The year showcased a breadth of work across their roster with notable standouts by directors Ivan Zacharias, Henry-Alex Rubin, Mark Molloy, Tom Hooper, Fenn O’Meally and Andre Muir.”

“The cinematic short film, directed by the acclaimed C Prinz and starring Zendaya, aims to spark a conversation about the unifying power of movement. Set against the backdrop of a track, the film underscores how sport and physical activity can connect individuals from diverse backgrounds, a message that resonates deeply as the world unites for a global sporting event this year.”