Berlin Commercial Awards 2024: A Global Showcase of Creativity and Excellence

The Berlin Commercial Festival concluded its 2024 edition by honouring the most creative minds in the industry. Finishing last week, the festival brought together over 3,000 professionals from around the world, while highlighting Berlin’s status as a global hub for creative innovation.

The festival’s prestigious awards, chosen by a diverse panel of industry experts, spotlighted Germany’s craftsmanship and innovative storytelling, confirming Berlin as a pivotal meeting point for creative minds worldwide. This year’s winners demonstrated remarkable contributions to the global creative landscape, with works that pushed boundaries and set new standards in their respective categories.

In the Commercial Work category and winning the Cultural Impact and Craft: Cinematography sub-categories, ‘The First Speech’ for Reporters Without Borders, directed by Giordano Maestrelli and produced by Stink Films, stood out for its powerful narrative and masterful delivery.

Other notable winners included Mert Alaş’s ‘Jeremy Allen White’ campaign for Calvin Klein campaign (below) taking home the accolade for Craft: Colour Grading, and Eugen Merher’s Mercedes-Benz spot, ‘Drive Pilot’, which won in the Craft: Use of Sound & Music group, showcasing cutting-edge visual storytelling and production techniques.

The Music Video category saw Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free's ‘Not Like Us’ (below) take the top accolade, highlighting the video’s cultural impact and creative direction. It won for Best Music Video and Craft: Costume Styling. Other winners in this category included RM’s ‘Lost’ promo, directed by Aube Perrie, which was awarded for Craft: Cinematography, and Charli XCX’s Von Dutch, crafted by TORSO with DIVISION, each praised for their artistic vision and innovative approaches in the Craft: Editing sub-category.

Personal projects also received significant recognition, with Alexander Norek’s 'PEARL' taking home the New Generation Award, while Raquel San Nicolas’s 'Fracaso' (below) was celebrated for its cinematography. These personal works exemplified the festival’s commitment to supporting emerging talent and experimental storytelling.

Beyond the awards, the festival fostered an environment of collaboration and inspiration, with networking sessions, stage talks, and insightful discussions taking place over the course of the week. Industry leaders also weighed in on the evolving creative landscape.

Berlin Commercial Festival founder and CEO Philipp Ulita emphasised the festival's broader mission, stating, “Our goal is to activate our network to celebrate and go beyond the practical aspects of winning awards. We aim to foster meaningful connections and embrace the collective value and shared moments of storytelling and art within the films. Berlin continues to be the place to be, the place to meet, and the place to exchange ideas.”

The festival concluded with a grand closing event at the iconic St. Elisabeth Church in Mitte, supported by KALA Films, leaving attendees with a sense of excitement for the future of the creative industry. As the Berlin Commercial Festival looks ahead to next year’s edition, the festival's impact as a vital hub for global creativity remains undeniable.

The festival's sister event, the Berlin Fashion Film Festival, is set to take place from November 13-15, 2024, continuing the city’s tradition of celebrating creative excellence on the international stage.