2020/2021 Winners & Shortlists

Write a short summary of what happens in the film

There’s a magical feeling when you’re in charge. When you have the total freedom to do what you please. So we captured this sentiment. Opening on grand castles, we follow dictators through medieval castles, banquet halls in the Dark Ages, early Asian palaces and Ancient Egyptian kingdoms. We see them command halls, speak to the masses and make orders about the most mundane things – playing with the cat, chilling in their underwear or just doing absolutely nothing. In a quick snap back to reality we see that all these people aren’t actually kings and queens, they just feel that way when they have total control over their space.

Tell the jury about achievements of the production, including reference to its specific ambitions and challenges. You may wish to comment on scale of production, budget constraints, technical issues and/or challenges faced during the production process.

Everything from the production design to wardrobe needed to be perfect to preserve authenticity. The film takes viewers on a journey through 7 unique locations with each portraying a different country and era. We needed to create, dress and shoot all of these scenes in just 3 days, all while making everything look cinematic and eye-catching. We approached this not like advert but a film that makes us fall in love with the truth in every little detail. We traveled to a country where we will have all the places showcased in our film – Romania. To save time some scenes we shot rather guerilla style, while others – the ones centered around complex, well-composed “eye candy” shots, requiring very precise staging and highly intricate production design – were patiently and carefully constructed. Alongside the art department, cast, and clever scenes, to achieve a gorgeous and effective film in