Framepool Announces Winners

The winners of the 2010 Framepool/ LBB Online/ Fireflies Challenge have now been announced.
They hail from the United Kingdom, Japan and the USA. More than 40 filmmakers from all over the world produced remarkable short films on the topic of courage, and were judged by a prominent jury including representatives from RSA, Publicis and BBDO.
The awards took place in Cannes this week, and there will be another screening of the best five films tonight at the straight 8 2010 'Best of an ad bunch' premieres. 



The award for the best film of the 2010 Framepool/ LBB Online/ Fireflies Challenge goes to three filmmakers from London: Mike Clear, Rob Hughes and Ben Harrex. Their film Leonard and Janet's Story is based on a comprehensive project focusing on the secret of lasting love. Leonard and Janet are one of 120 couples Mike and his wife Alanna interviewed as they drove a motorbike and sidecar from Alaska to Patagonia, along the longest road in the world. The film combines Mike's own documentary footage with symbolic archive material visualising the emotional agitations the couple had to face. 

The film was a joint effort between the TV producers Mike Clear, Rob Hughes and editor Ben Harrex – all of whom have already successfully participated in previous industry awards. 



Fireflies Silver Winners are two young filmmakers from Japan and the USA. The jury simply couldn't separate them, they were awarded joint second place. Albert II produced by Daisuke Izumi, a young director from Tokyo. His entertaining short film tells the story of Albert II's moon landing. Not to make the film’s message too "preachy", Albert II represents a monkey – albeit one played by a human actor. The film is by turns humorous and serious, varying between historical footage and Daisuke's self-shot material. 


Courage Inspires Courage by Corlin Stubbs. This award-winning writer and director from Los Angeles wanted to draw attention to courageous decisions in everyday lives – not changing the world, but at least in this case, changing the life of a woman, her child and ultimately the man she is escaping. Corlin contrasted the main fictional story with footage of historical milestones from the Framepool collection. 



(BMcN/GK)