Viva La France! and everything that French Art means to the history of it. So Voilà my eclectic list: a mix of some of the greatest that manage to still be relevant with their art and a pair of consecrated promises in the audiovisual industry. The list follows an alphabetical order and includes the most awarded directors of the last decade:
After graduating film school, Philippe started to work for the Museum of Modern Art in Paris making documentaries about their exhibitions then directed numerous award winning music videos (Victoire de la musique in Paris, Cad’s, Brit’s and Mobo awards in London...) as well as hit TV commercials. Philippe is a multi awarded director (Cannes Lions International festival of Creativity, London International Awards, New York Festival TV Advertising Awards, D&AD, BTAA, Epica, Eurobest, Clio, Ciclope). His short films traveled the world in film festivals winning awards (Seattle, Palm Springs, Nevada City, Bermuda Festival…), have been short listed for the Oscars and screened at the MoMA and Tate Modern.
Director: Phillipe André
Production company: Independent Films
AGENCY: The&Partnership | CLIENT: Toyota
With his ability to create fantastic, narrative-led music videos that feel like short films, Romain Chassaing has already taken the promo world by storm. Chassaing is a French director that studied in Manchester, then Paris where he meets with the new French indie scene. These creative and friendly encounters marks the beginning of a serie of CD sleeves, press photos and music videos. He worked with Vampire weekend, Air, Anna Calvi, Vitalic and many else. His style sharpens and strengthens. Since then, prestigious brand such as Stella Maccartney, Louis Vuitton, Hermes or Piaget have been seduced by his subtle, fun and ingenious films.
Director: Romain Chassaing
Production Company: Solab Pictures
Courtès is the man behind the design of the iconic Daft Punk helmets. Through his music videos, graphic identities and cover art, Grammy award-winning Alex’s work with artists including Cassius, Daft Punk and Air helped to define an entire genre. In the French clip universe, Alexandre Courtès occupies one of the first places. Alone or in a duo with Martin Fougerol, this teenager-style quadra a little nerd from Versailles has achieved in fifteen years some wonders of the genre: the hallucinatory montage of 1999 pop chromos by Cassius, the geometric figures of Seven Nation Army of White Stripes (inspired by his past as a graphic designer), the recent cul de Cochon Ville symphony for Sébastien Tellier. Alex’s graphic, impactful and sexy style is sought after by some of the biggest brands and bands in the world.
Director: Alex Courtès
Production Company: Insurrection
AGENCY: Romance
CLIENT: AUDI
A creative duo with projects for the likes of Tricky, Bag Raiders and Skrillex, Fleur & Manu that quickly established themselves as visionary filmmakers and major players in the world of music videos. In 2013, the duo directed the celebrated music video for “Pursuit” by Gesaffelstein, the new icon of French Techno. The video was a massive international success and garnered several nominations and awards including UK MVAs for Best Dance Video and Best Visual Effects, as well as a D&AD Yellow Pencil for Best Music Video and Best Special Effects categories. The duo also won a Yellow Pencil for Best Direction for Movement’s “Ivory.” Through their artistic passions and talent for crafting highly visual pieces, the duo has collaborated with high-powered global brands, such as Apple, Audi, Lacoste, and Sprint.
Director: Fleur & Manu
Production Company: Division Paris
AGENCY: Division
Nicolas Galoux is a french director recognized by his unique style and sense of humour. He has won multiple awards such as Cannes Lions, D&AD Pencils, Clios and Shots.net. He has worked for prestigious brands like KFC, Ing, Sncf, Nescafe, Orange and many others. Comedy flows through his veins and he knows how to take from his actors the funniest and most emotional performances.
Director: Fleur & Manu
Production Company: TBWA
AGENCY: TBWA
CLIENT: Burns & Smiles
Megaforce is a collective composed by four French gentlemen: Léo Berne, Charles Brisgand, Clément Gallet and Raphaël Rodriguez. A quartet with a provocative style that we can see in Nike’s barnstorming "Nothing beats a Londoner", a proof of great camerawork and inventive storytelling. Their collaborative narratives and inventiveness while filming three commercials with Fallon for Orange impressed everyone that they were asked to single pitch and co-write the next four in the campaign. Following a provocative D&AD Yellow Pencil win for the music video for Is Tropical "The Greeks" word spread across the Atlantic. In 2013 at the UK Music Video Awards they picked up Best International Rock Video, Best Editing for YYYS and were crowned Best Director, from which they next went onto direct an 8-minute video for Rihanna. Other commercial clients they have worked with include Apple, Instagram, Dior, Barcardi, Lynx AXE, Nike, Giff Gaff, Assassins Creed and Finish (winning a British Arrow). In March 2018 saw the launch of Nike LNDR, produced by Riff Raff and W&K London to rave reviews. Previously they have made two Apple commercials along with the comedy genius that is Snackerkist for Saatchi & Saatchi London and recently finishing off a commercial for The BBC's new app BBC Sounds. They were number one in Campaign Magazine's directors of 2018.
Director: Megaforce
Production Company: Riff Raff Films
AGENCY: Wieden + Kennedy
CLIENT: NIKE
Born in Lyon, Planchon began his career as a theatre actor, and worked as an assistant director on 15 Feature films before making his directional debut in 1990 with the short film "L'Echange", which won the Prix de l’Image at the Festival de L’Image du Film. This launched his career as a music video and commercials director. Frederic has won awards across the globe at all major international advertising festivals, including 35 D&AD Pencils (with a Yellow for Direction) and 12 Gold Lions at Cannes. In 2019 Frederic was named 4th in the Campaign Magazine top directors of the year rundown, with 2 pieces of work featured in the top commercials; Playstation 'Tear' and Renault 'French Exchange'. Additionally, he has just been included in the Television top directors of the year list for the same films along with Cadbury "Fence".
Director: Frederic Planchon
Production Company: Academy Films
AGENCY: VCCP/London
CLIENT: Cadbury
With a genius career in the music video industry, first starting with artists like Justice and Kavinsky, amongst others. Today, he can be proud of having work with musical geniuses like Kanye West, Madonna, Muse, Depeche Mode, Jack White, Pharrell, Snoop Dogg and Liam Gallagher. Francois has a wildly, cutting-edge approach to music videos, but also loves to explore his creativity and look for new parameters of filmmaking in his commercial world, recently working on brand films for the likes of Nike, Diesel, M&S, Axe and Stella Artois. He has collected all the prestigious awards you can imagine: Cannes Lions, D&AD Pencils, Clios, etc.
Director: Francois Rousselet
Production Company: Craft
AGENCY: McCann London
CLIENT: Just Eat
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