The East and all its wisdom translated into the most spiritual, transcendental, imaginative and original visual storytelling. A list of Asian directors that constantly defy the parameters of filmmaking. The list follows an alphabetical order and includes the most awarded directors of the last decade:
Wuthisak is one of the most versatile, creative and with a strong reputation director in Thailand. Wuthisak made his stunning career debut as a director in 2011 by winning the "Best" prize from Bangkok Art Director’s Association and consecutively won the "Best of Show" for 6 years. An innovative film director, he owns many of "the first of it kinds" commercial film formats in Thailand and Southeast Asia. His "REFLECTION", the first interactive film series, scored Gold Spikes Asia Awards. "SHOOT THE MUSIC" for HEINEKEN is also the first reality-fiction series, setting up a killing scene in real legendary live concert and had the whole audiences as actors. "BAPTISM", a collaboration project with ELLE Bangkok Fashion Week, was also selected at Berlin Fashion Film Festival. Recently, his "VOIZ" for Monde Nissin Thailand scored Gold Lions at Cannes.
Director: Wuthisak Anarnkaporn
Production company: Factory O1 Co., Ltd.
AGENCY: Ogilvy Thailand
CLIENT: Monde Nissin Thailand
Kamatani is a wonderful young Japanese director that is making waves with his extraordinary creative vision and epic production design. Sojiro worked in video production in Kyoto. He built a reputation as one of the most inspired directors to hit the streets in the past years. He's as unique as his films. He loves pushing the envelope for unusual visual storytelling. He won 5 awards at the One Club ADC awards 2020. He won silver for Craft in a Video, silver for Art Direction, then bronzes for Craft Direction and Craft Cinematography, as well as a Merit for Craft in Motion.
Director: Sojiro Kamatani
Production company: Dentsu Creative Force Inc. / Tokyo Dentsu Creative X Inc. / Tokyo
AGENCY: Dentsu Inc. / Tokyo
CLIENT: Mori Building Co., Ltd.
Ging-Zim Lo is a prolific Chinese filmmaker. Creator of videoclips and ads with a strong storytelling and beautiful aesthetics. His famous ad for China Airlines "Souvenirs from Travel" was watched over 8.9 million times in the first two weeks, exceeding 50,000 likes, 9,000 shares, and over 4000 comments. The campaign was widely discussed in social forums inspiring young people to share their stories on all the “souvenirs” they got while traveling, said Leo Burnett. It also won several awards around the world: Silver and Gold in 2019 AD Stars Awards, A Clio Bronze, Spikes, 4A Creative Awards and again Gold and Silver in 2020 AD Stars Awards. The spot focuses on the more unusual memories, objects and experiences that people bring home with them.
Director: Ging-Zim Lo
Production company: Yuan Yuan Production
AGENCY: Leo Burnett
CLIENT: China Airlines
Moussallem born in 1990 in Beirut and went to the Lebanese Academy of Arts from where she graduated major in 2010, with a short film which won the first prize at the European Film Festival. Rich in Western and Eastern cultural contrast, his works are characterized by fluidity, emotion and freedom. She has received several accolades for his films. Her videoclip for the band Mashrou "Leila", was shortlisted for the Vimeo Staff Pick, reached number one on YouTube and brought her international recognition, winning a Gold Screen at YDA in 2018.
Director: Jessy Moussallem
Production company: Clandestino Films and CAVIAR
CLIENT: Mashrou' Leila
Akshay Nair is a multifaceted filmmaker: he's a director, editor and director of photography but also a music producer. He has directed dozen of videoclips and multiple commercials for a variety of brands such as Amazon, Google Lens, Asus, Ecklo UNTLD, Linkedin and Red Bull. His ad "The Punishing Signal" for the Mumbai Police was awarded in a lot of competitions around the world.
PRODUCTION Director: Akshay Nair / Production company: 30ML | AGENCY: FCB Interface Mumbai | CLIENT: Mumbai Traffic Police
A Japanese director with a particular, amusing off-the-wall sense of humor that jumped to worldwide recognition with a film that leaps out from the rest, one that transcends cultural differences: “Dad’s Love” that won the 2nd Prize YDA in 2011. One of his most recent works: Firefly Man for OCEDEL, achieved a gold CLIO in 2016, a Cannes Lions: Silver (Film), a Cannes Lions: Bronze (Film Craft), a Spikes Asia: Gold Spike and was named Best Ad by Adweek. He's a director that knows exactly how to balance comedy with a touch of drama and sentimentalism without falling into clichés.
PRODUCTION Director: Wataru Sato / Production company: Geek Pictures | AGENCY: Nitto | CLIENT: OCEDEL
"Tor" Sornsrivichai was named the year's most awarded director in the world on five separate occasions by The Gunn Report. His base in Bangkok, Phenomena, was also deemed by Gunn to be the most awarded production house in the world. He is definitely one of the most sought after directors in Asia, still mantaining relevance as a filmmaker and always pushing boundaries with his powerful sense of aesthetics and his perfect paced and infinite creative storytelling. Name an advertising Award around the world and he definitely has won it.
Director: Thanonchai Sornsrivichai
Production company: Phenomena, BKK
AGENCY: MullenLowe/Bangkok
CLIENT: Chaindrite
Nawapol born in Thailand in 1984. He majored in Chinese at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. He is a self-taught director that makes both independent cinema and mainstream film and also a film critic and screenwriter. His first feature film '36' won the New Currents Award from Bussan International Film Festival 2012 and his second feature film 'Mary is happy, Mary is happy' premiered in Venice International Film Festival 2013. His latest work 'Heart attack' is produced by Thai Film Studio Gmm Tai Hub (GTH). His work has earned critical acclaim for its unique and eccentric style. He also won a Gold Clio in 2018 for "Friendshit".
Director: Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit
Production company: Hub Ho Hin Bangkok
AGENCY: GreynJ
CLIENT: KPlus
Tanaka is a Japanese filmmaker that studied in the Tama Art University Graphic Design Department. After leaving Piramid Films’ Development and Creative Department, he joins Caviar in 2007. He has an excellent sense of design and a playful spirit, bringing a unique perspective to his craft. His eclectic work includes advertisements such as SoftBank’s Sokudo Seigen Man Ni Kiwo Tsukero (tr. Look Out for the Speed Limit Man), Bottega Veneta’s "EMOTION OF SOUND", Mercedes-Benz’s "GO!GLA", Shiseido’s "Integrate", to music videos for artists such as Sakanaction, Perfume, APOGEE, Towa Tei and more. He also garnered much attention worldwide for his shocking directional choice of using 567 printers for the Double A × OK GO video, Obsession for Smoothness, that also earned him the ADC award, the Cannes Lion Gold among other awards.
Director: Yusuke Tanaka
Production company: AOI Pro.
AGENCY: SPA-HAKUHODO
CLIENT: Double A
Teh has a natural talent for storytelling with a genuine sense of fashion, the sharpest commercial instincts and always a comic touch. He has a unique approach to filmmaking, mixing live action, stylized comedy and visually intriguing narratives. He has worked for OMO, Panandol, Knorr, Unilever, Coca Cola, Kotex, KFC, CLEO, LG and Sunsilk just to mention a few. Currently based in Bangkok, this prolific and innovative director has been awarded by the most important international competitions: Cannes Gold 2017 Health "Clear: Bullish Boss", Spikes Bronze & Silver Spikes Gold 2016 for Film and Cannes Silver Music Lion 2016 #clearthepitch, Dan Church Aid; and Cannes Silver & Bronze lion 2014. Cannes Health, Eye Mo.
PRODUCTION Director: James Teh / Production company: Bullet Bangkok | AGENCY: MullenLowe Singapore | CLIENT: Unilever
Yanagisawa is a film director based in Tokyo, Japan. He has a background as an oil painter and graffiti artist so his approach to filmmaking is really unique and abstract, which earned him a number of the industry’s most prestigious awards. In addition to creating branded work, Yanagisawa is also pursuing music video, short and long form film projects, as well as animation. He has worked for brands such as Google Nexus, Subaru, Sony Music International, Honda, Marlboro, Fuji TV, Volkswagen, Cannon, Coca-Cola, IKEA, Nissan, and Pokémon GO, to name a few. In 2016, his ad for Shisheido “High School Girl” garnered millions of views, as well as numerous awards, including but not limited to Gold honors from Cannes Lions, the D&AD Awards, the One Show, the Andy Awards, and the Clios. His visually stunning spot “Gravity Cat” for Playstation literally turned the world upside-down, creating a groundbreaking promotion for the video game Gravity Rush 2. The four-minute film won Gold at the 2017 One Show, D&AD Awards, and Andy Awards. The ad was recognized with a whopping seven awards at the 2017 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity — including one Gold, two Silver, and four Bronze.
PRODUCTION Director: Show Yanagisawa / Production company: Watts of Tokyo Inc. | AGENCY: Shiseido, Tokyo, Japan | CLIENT: Shinsheido
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