ADFEST IS ON THE HUNT FOR FIVE FABULOUS NEW
DIRECTORS
Every
year since 2008, ADFEST is on the hunt to search for the region’s top emerging
directors to become its Fabulous Five New Directors as part of its commitment
to nurture and champion new talent.
If you’re an
Assistant Director or Director based in Asia and the Pacific, and the Middle
East, and have started your Directorial debut in the past 2 years (after March
2024), the Fabulous Five is the perfect opportunity for you to propel your
Directorial career and showcase your talent on Asia’s biggest creative stage.
The hunt ends on Friday 2 January 2026.
For the
chance to become a Fabulous Five New Director, eligible Directors need to
submit a script for a 5-minute short film inspired by ADFEST 2026 theme Human+.
If the script is one of the top five scripts as voted by ADFEST’s
Film Craft Lotus & New Director Lotus jury, the director will be asked to
direct the short film of the submitted script and debut the short film at
ADFEST 2026, held Thursday 19 – Saturday 21 March 2026. All Fabulous Five directors will
premiere and discuss their films on stage. ADFEST will provide return economy
airfare, ground transportation, accommodation, and a full delegate registration
to ADFEST 2026.
All
Fabulous Five films will also be automatically entered for consideration at the
Academy Award® and BAFTA qualifying 2026 LA Shorts International Film Festival.
Director and Founder of LA Shorts, Robert Arentz says "LA Shorts International Film Festival has a rich history of
championing new talent from across the globe, and our programming team is
already looking forward to viewing the ADFEST Fabulous Five films for
consideration. I am personally excited to attend ADFEST 2026 and meet the five
directors. We believe great storytelling is a powerful force that transcends
boundaries and unites us through shared human experience. We applaud ADFEST for
fostering a vital platform where artists can create stories that inspire and
impact us all. As one of the world's most prestigious and largest international
short film festivals, and a qualifying festival for both the Academy Award® and
BAFTA, we are thrilled to consider all five films for our milestone 30th
anniversary in 2026."
The
Fabulous Five is an opportunity not to be missed for up-and-coming directors,
as Wuthisak Anarnkaporn, Founder & Director of Factory01, Jury
President of the Film Craft Lotus & New Director Lotus earlier this year, shares
"For me, Fabulous Five is a space that truly believes in new directors.
It’s where young filmmakers get a real chance to be seen, to connect, and to
make something happen. Experts from all over Asia Pacific come together here
and they get to see your story grow from a small idea into a real film. I don’t
think there’s a better shortcut for a young director to learn and move forward.
Do not wait until you feel ready. Just start writing and send your story."
Mika Sasaki, Director from TYO Inc. in Tokyo,
who was the Fabulous Five 2025 Commendation Winner for her film “Im Perfection”
shares, "Being selected for Fabulous Five was an incredible honor. With
the support of so many people, I was able to bring my own script to life as a
film, and receiving this award was truly meaningful. I’ll carry this experience
with me as motivation for future creative challenges."
Haruna
Takahara, Director from HAT in Tokyo, whose film “ICE” won the Popular
Vote further says, “For me, having the footage I shot seen by so many people both in Japan
and abroad was an extremely valuable experience. Not only did I receive
feedback at the ADFEST venue, but many people I meet through work even after
returning to Japan also shared their thoughts with me, which made me realise
the influence of ADFEST. Creating the work to submit to Fabulous Five had many
benefits, such as allowing me to hone my creativity and making connections with
the cast and staff.”
Azlan Som,
Assistant Director from Logic & Magic in Kuala Lumpur says of his
experience, “ADFEST’s Fabulous
Five was an incredible experience that pushed me to grow as a storyteller. It’s
a great festival that truly celebrates creativity. I’m grateful for the
opportunity to share my voice alongside other passionate filmmakers.”
Another Fabulous Five 2025, Tomoya
Matsushita, Director from AOI Pro., also states, “I'm
truly grateful to have been part of the Fabulous Five this year. The experience
became an inspiring journey that reminded me of every side of myself - that I
love to imagine, to create, that I still have things to learn, things I’m good
at, a dream to work on the global stage, and above all, a deep love for
filmmaking.”
For more information on eligibility and submission
process to the Fabulous Five, click here. Script submission deadline is Friday 2 January 2026.
ADFEST Lotus Awards is calling for entries for all
its Lotus categories. For more information on the ADFEST Lotus Awards, visit www.ADFEST.com. Deadlines for Entry Submission
to all other Lotus categories are Friday 19 December 2025 for the Early
Bird Deadline, and Friday 9 January 2026 for the Regular Deadline.
ADFEST is a not-for profit entity that believes
passionately in its role to nurture and support the creative industry in the
Asia Pacific and MENA region. It is 1 of only 7 regional creative festivals
included in the WARC Creative 100 Rankings, 1 of 12 awards included in the
Campaign Brief Asia Rankings, and 1 of 22 awards included in The Drum World
Creative Rankings.
ADFEST
2026, Human+, will be held Thursday 19 – Saturday 21 March 2026
at the Royal Cliff Hotels Group in Pattaya, Thailand.
