Mumbai Mirror’s “I Am Mumbai” campaign by Taproot India, edited by Prime Focus’ Co-founder and Creative Director Huzefa Lokhandwala, has won a Gold Lion at the 2012 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The award in the film craft (direction) category is considered advertising's equivalent of the Oscars.
The Gold Lion is given taking into consideration direction, editing and the skilful use of music. Sneha Iype, executive producer Nirvana Films, who was the only Indian on the nine-member jury, said that the film touched an emotional chord with the judges.
The commercial was shot on the streets of Mumbai with a cast that had never been in front of the camera before. Also, people around the main cast were caught totally unaware of the multiple cameras, which were set up around the shooting locations.
“Several hours of footage had to be effectively edited down to strike an emotional chord with the audience,” said Huzefa. “With the vast selection of footage of people caught unaware on camera, it was important that each shot we selected portrayed the exact emotion and reaction that would do justice to the hard-hitting script. This would have not been possible if the agency had not patiently given us creative freedom,” he added.
The commercial, directed by Abhinay Deo, is a soul stirring film presented through a series of stories featured in the paper. The politically-motivated university ban of Rohinton Mistry’s book, the milk adulteration fiasco, the horrifying hell of the kavda orphanage, and the fight against illegal political posters destroying the cityscape are made heard through the VOICE – the Mumbai Mirror. The film brings the unheard voice of a city screaming to be heard, with voices personified by angst, anguish, courage and determination.
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