NEWS

Main Deadline 10 May

Now in its 26th year the YDA attracts hundreds of global entrants each year, celebrating and rewarding new directors from across the globe. Previous YDA winners include such talented and successful filmmakers as Hanna Maria Heidrich, Andreas Roth, Michael Lockshin, We Are From LA, BAFTA-winner Remi Weekes, and many more.

Winners of the YDA 2023 will be announced at a special ceremony during this year’s Cannes Lions festival and we have frozen the cost of a full entry to the YDA, keeping in place the 2022 pricing structure.

Click for more information about categories and visit our entry system to make an entry.

Other News

YDA2026 Open for Entries

This year’s Young Director Award has opened its doors for the next wave of directorial talent.  More…

YDA Announces 2026 Jury Chair

Mal Ward, Partner in and Managing Director of Arts & Sciences, will be 2026 Jury  More…

Getting to grips with Turkish oil wrestling​

Directors Jan Hellwich and Samet Yalcin won a Gold this year for their passion project Turkish  More…

How Alexander Kuehn made a girl fly

With three Gold awards under his belt for his epic short If I Could Fly, Alexander  More…

Joe Picozzi celebrates his kind of people

Director Joe Picozzi speaks on his YDA Gold winning film My Kind Of People. Here he talks about  More…

How Milo Blake tackled Paralympic disparity

Spindle director Milo Blake won Gold in this years YDA for his commercial The Empty Seat.  More…