The YDA 2024 Focus

The rising stars who won Golds in this year’s Young Director Award share with shots the origins and ideas and behind their films, the production highs and lows and what they’re planning next.

Talent

How Victoria Warmerdam tackled bodily-autonomy through comedy

Clinching not just one but four YDA Golds, plus the Special Jury Prize, OAK Motion Pictures director Victoria Warmerdam's darkly comedy short, I'm Not a Robot, draws inspiration from CAPTCHA technology, vintage sci-fi aesthetics and psychological thrillers to address feminist themes of identity and objectification.

Talent

A YDA delivery for Vanessa Stachel

German director Vanessa Stachel secured a Gold in the YDA Animation, and Film School category for her short film Delivery For Mr. Frogula. Here, she talks about making the miniatures, the team involved in bringing the film to life, and hopes and dreams for the future.

Talent

Love Song’s soul-enriching search for new talent

Love Song Films was one of two companies to win a Gold Screen Production Company of the Year at the YDA this year. Founders Kelly Bayett and Daniel Wolfe talk to shots about the rewards of seeking shining stars and listening out for that distinctive voice.

Talent

Why anonymity and channeled rage were essential for SHIRZAN to Rise

Despite winning the Changing the World Frame by Frame gold at this year's YDA, director SHIRZAN could not claim it; the anonymous alias essential in the tale of Iranian persecution. We caught up with them to speak about the origins of the story, the perilous shoot, and why it was important to share such heartbreak.

Talent

All things change with Davide Vicari

Italian director Davide Vicari secured a Gold in the YDA Music Video category for Massimo Pericolo's Le Cose Cambiano album trailer. Here, he talks about connecting the artist with the audience, using FPV drones, and thriving in the commercial world.

Talent

YDA winner LI Shuqin on frog-themed dreams and dealing with loss

LI Shuqin's moving and whimsical short To The Moon and Back scooped up a Gold Young Directors Award in the Animation category. Here, Shuqin talks us through the inspirations behind the film, from childhood memories to traditional Chinese nursery rhymes.

Talent

YDA-winner Michael Hili on finding both beauty and pain in the story of a mother’s loss

The Public Diagnosis justly won YDA Golds in two categories – Creative Use of Sound and Branded Content. Here director Michael Hili explains how he came to use an innovative theatrical visual language to tell the real-life story of a mother and son coping with terminal illness.

Talent

How Sindre Haram crafted a poignant tale of childhood isolation

Sindre Haram won a Gold screen YDA for his naturalistic portrait of a boy caught in the crosshairs of his parents’ divorce. Here he explains how he created a powerful narrative by mining the past, and recalling, then detaching from, his father’s story.

Talent

Flying through the glass ceiling with Nicolas Ivan Bori

Packed with blockbuster visuals and an important message to match, Nicolas Bori's Breaking Glass picked up a Gold in the YDA's Film School > up to 10 minutes category. Here, shots finds out how the Filmakademie Baden-Wurttemberg student piloted dreams to success.

Talent

How Stink Films cares for directors who care

Daniel Bergmann, founder and president of Stink Films, explains why his company, which won a Gold Screen producers award at this year’s YDA, has always had a mission to nurture new directors and why they seek creatives who genuinely care about the work.

Talent

Will Wightman's certain success

Picking up a YDA Gold Screen award in the Commercial category, BlinkInk director Will Wightman's campaign for Ore-Ida is a "super-weird" spot that celebrates the predictable. Here, he discusses Hollywood's Golden Age, embracing the unusual, and getting thrown into the deep end.

Talent

Emma Foley's tone-perfect, blackly-comedic Sound & Colour

Picking up the Short Film [10 minutes and over] prize at this year's YDA, writer/director Emma Foley's painfully honest account of a Irish family in denial hit the judges heartstrings. Here, we find out how the authentic relationships were brought to the screen, and how an enigmatic title can open viewers to challenging stories.

Talent

Liam LoPinto on the power of returning to your roots

Winning Gold in the short film category at this year's Young Directors Awards, Liam LoPinto's sublime film The Old Young Crow is a captivating fusion of live-action and animation, nature and spirituality, and Iranian and Japanese culture.

Talent

How LOOSE got tight with Football Beyond Borders

Picking up the Charity Commercial gold award at this year's YDA, Stink director LOOSE's authentic slice of footballing life hit the target. Here, she discusses how to score with a one-day shoot.

Talent

YDA winner Onda talks Precision

Director Onda grabbed a Gold in the YDA Music Video category with their promo for Big Sean - Precision. Here, he chat's about what made them pick up a camera, trusting the process and working in ad-land.

Talent

LIAKH's artistic endeavour

Spindle director LIAKH picked up a YDA Gold award at this year's ceremony for his carefully curated and brilliantly comedic spot for the Sainsbury Centre. Here, he explains how the film is a "loveletter with a bit of darkness mixed in", and why comedy is hard.

Talent

YDA winner Alan Bradley on filming a tale of heartbreaking loss

Alan Bradley won Gold for his documentary Patrick: A Young Traveller Lost, which explores the shocking statistic that more than one in ten Irish Travellers die by suicide, many of them being males aged 15-25, some are even younger. The film follows the parents of one tragic case – 12-year-old Patrick McDonagh – as they process their grief.

Talent

Why Elliott Power is building work that goes against the grain

Love Song director Elliott Power struck gold at this year's Young Director Award with his spot for DIY chain B&Q. He explains how "Se7en meets Delicatessen" was the commercial's inspiration, why only he could take on the spot's voice over, and why he likes going against the grain.

Talent

Hugh Mulhern dishes the dirt on Doolally

Director Hugh Mulhern grabbed a Gold in the YDA Music Video category with their Riff Raff Films aided promo for Hak Baker - Doolally. Here, He talks about jumping Prime Ministers in public, big weekends, and his future projects.

Talent

YDA winner Gillie Cinneri talks death and dysfunctional families

Gillie Cinneri talks us through casting choices, character development, and how watching a stranger being embalmed was the initial inspiration behind her dark and comedic Gold Young Director Award-winning film, Allégresse.

Talent

Kiarash Dadgar's food for thought

The Steak is a quietly powerful film about the harsh realities of war and the fragility of life amid chaos. Director Kiarash Dadgar discusses his debut film, which picked up Gold at this year's Young Director Award.