Director’s Guild Takes Gold in the straight 8 Shootout 2019 at Cannes

The straight 8 shootout premiered in Cannes on Thursday June 20th at Cinema les Arcades, presented by the APA and Cinelab London. The competition is a company-to-company showdown to produce the best 2.5 minute film on Super 8 without editing or post-production, seeing it for the first time at its premiere. 

15 companies from 4 continents took up the challenge and voted in the cinema in Cannes for their favourite films - without voting for their own. The winners of straight 8 shootout CANNES 2019 are announced: 

Donating their prize money to Finnish mental health charity, Mielinauha.

Producer for Director’s Guild, Juha-Matti Nieminen, said of their win and experience: “We entered straight 8 shootout with our minds open without actually even knowing exactly what we were up to. But after a second look at the rules it sounded like a perfect challenge compared to our daily job on commercials. And it definitely was worth it. It turned out to be great fun on the shoot and super stressful on screening it for the first time at the premiere in Cannes. But it was worth all that. It was pure pleasure to see all these great films around the globe, and we still can’t believe that we took the gold award home. Thank you so much for all our contestants for a good run and great thanks for straight 8 for this absolutely great event. I think everyone who considers their self as a filmmaker should try it this pure at least once in their life. We’ll be back next year for sure.”

Donating their prize money to charity, Children with Cancer UK.

Donating their prize money to charity, Climate Coalition. 

The audience award, presented to the company whose film got the loudest audience reaction (aside the winners above) went to: Partizan, London, UK for their film 'Kate'. 

The films now remain under wraps because they’ll be screened again, for the second time ever, in London on Friday 28th June 2019 9.30am-10.30am. (Doors 9am). The screening will take place at The Regent Street Cinema, 307 Regent St, London W1B 2HW. Tickets are £12 and available here.

The iconic shootout camera trophies are made by straight 8 shootout sponsors, Machine Shop, from defunct super 8 cameras. A welcome breakfast for ticket-holders in Cannes was hosted by Madam Films, a long time supporter and first time sponsor of straight 8 shootout.