IMPACT BBDO, Floward and the Only Film Lion for the Middle East in 2024

As always, the Middle East has played an impactful part in this year’s Cannes Lions Festival, with agencies picking up 24 Lions across several categories, including the sixth Grand Prix Lion for the region.

One specific Lion that deserves to be mentioned, considering the rigor of the category and its history in the region, is the Silver Film Lion won by IMPACT BBDO Cairo for Floward’s 'The Mobster.'

The ever so revered Film Lion, the oldest category at the festival, is undeniably one of the most difficult to win and is often considered to be amongst the most prestigious of all. This year’s Film jury president, Tor Myhren, said that “Film should speak for themselves,” and commented on how the jury took a purist approach. There was a mention made on humour work making a comeback, which Cannes Lions for the first time in 2024 introduced as a sub-category.

IMPACT BBDO’s win is the only Film Lion awarded - or even shortlisted - from the MENA region this year. It is the first Film Lion to be awarded to a creative agency in Egypt in 14 years, and successfully demonstrates Egyptian craft in film, especially in the humour genre. 

Chief marketing officer at Floward, Mr. Mohammed Mousa, said, “Winning a Film Lion for ‘The Mobster’ is a true testament to the incredible creativity and storytelling ability of the IMPACT BBDO Cairo team. Their work perfectly captured the essence of Floward and our commitment to bringing joy to our customers. We are incredibly proud of this achievement and excited to continue pushing boundaries with innovative marketing campaigns.”

Naila Fattouh, CEO Impact BBDO Cairo, commented that “We consider ourselves lucky at Impact BBDO Cairo to be able to partner with a client like Floward, who believes in the power of creativity and its ability to shape brands and businesses. This partnership is in itself an achievement and reward, the Lion comes to celebrate it and share it with the world.”