François Chilot and Ingrid Bragemann discuss the current challenges facing young talent
The flight continued with a tribute to the advertising film industry’s talent pool. François Chilot, founder and president of the Young Director Award (YDA), together with Ingrid Bragemann, ambassador for the competition in Spain and Latin America, assessed the evolution of this platform, which was created in France in the mid-2000s. François Chilot also explained the role of the YDA, a meeting point between emerging talent and industry, where young directors from around the world can showcase their work and gain recognition.
Since its creation, the YDA has established itself as an essential event at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, dedicated exclusively to discovering and promoting emerging directors. François Chilot recalled that the YDA emerged as a showcase for young directors and has now become a global platform. ‘In the past, production companies and agencies had different policies depending on the country. It was very difficult to find common strategies, but we knew that creativity needed to be seen,’ said François.
The talk also reviewed the current challenges facing young talent: the growing importance of technology, but also the creative challenges faced by new filmmakers. ‘The future of young directors is in their hands, but they need support,’ said François Chilot, reinforcing the idea that investing in emerging talent is not only a gesture of support, but a growth strategy for the entire industry.
Throughout his speech, François shared anecdotes about the origins of the YDA, explaining how in its early years there was no organised system for young directors to be seen. ‘In the 1990s, producers were known only by name, there were no exposure platforms, everything was very different,’ he recalled. However, his vision was clear: to showcase and promote emerging talent in an environment where teamwork between agencies and producers was key.
Ingrid Bragemann asked him about how the YDA’s global participation has grown, and François explained that today between 12 and 14 countries participate, although in its early years it was only present in Europe and the United States. ‘In the beginning, the YDA was free, we wanted everyone to be able to participate, but today there is a registration fee of $200 per category,’ said François, highlighting the evolution of the competition.
Artificial intelligence (AI) was also discussed, which is now beginning to play an important role in visual creation. François shared a recent example, where a German director, Boris, won the Sony International Award for an image created with AI, but clarified: ‘AI is a tool, not the soul of creation. It is the director who uses AI to bring his vision to life, not the other way around.’
‘When I look at the participation of directors from Spain and Latin America, I notice that there are few or none at all, and I would like to encourage them to showcase their talent,’ concluded François, inviting young talents to take advantage of this competition to expand their international visibility.
The talk closed with a reflection on the future of advertising cinema and how young talent will continue to be the key to innovation and evolution in the industry. ‘The need for talent is not going to disappear because of AI; on the contrary, we need it more than ever,’ said Ingrid Bragemann.
