Revolver’s Palme d’Or is a Win for “Every Director In our Company”

​Revolver’s owner says the whole office is “incredibly humbled and grateful” following a slew of wins in Cannes last week, including thefirst ever Palme d’Or for an Australian production company.

Speaking to LBB, Michael Ritchie said while the prodco can’t become complacent, the recognition on the biggest stage is a good outcome for craft.

If audiences can see the craft, they can see the care. And that has outcomes for the brand” he said.

“Everyone sees the stuff that we make now on so many different forms of media, but however they interact with it, if we're holding their eyeballs and we're holding to see the message through, I think that's just incredibly important.”

Revolver won multiple Lions over the week, including a Gold Film Lion and the Film Craft Grand Prix with Australian agency Bear Meets Eagle on Fire for their work on Telstra’s 'Better on A Better Mobile Network'. The Film Grand Prix was awarded to Revolver director Steve Rogers for his work on 'Considering What?' for Channel 4’s coverage of the Paralympic games.

These wins mark the second consecutive year Revolver has won both the Film and Film Craft Grands Prix at the festival.

“I don’t think a lot of people know how fast our legs are swimming under the surface at any given time,” Michael said. “It’s a tough market at the moment, so [we had to work] to a level where people and audiences are really going to respond. Sometimes these awards can convey that.

“It's big to be punching against the likes of the Brits, Americans, and Europeans. It's also great for Australian production generally to know that we all can."

“These kinds of awards represent Australia in a way that perhaps we all have known here is real, and it just puts a little bit more substance behind that reality. I think what people are doing at a high level in Australia is certainly as good as anywhere else in the world.

“Watching the performance of that work and seeing how craft and film can actually bring your brand into something that people love and actually want to watch all the way through -- it’s really nice to be a part of.”

Michael was also full of praise for Revolver's co-owner Steve Rogers, who was awarded the Film Grand Prix for his work on 'Considering What?' for Channel 4’s coverage of the Paralympic games, a co-production between Biscuit filmworks and Revolver -- in addition to his wins with Revolver.

“I’m so lucky to work with a partner like Steve Rogers, on a co-production deal with Biscuit,” Michael said. “The stuff he’s done this year as a director is something we’re really proud of. I’m biased, but I think there’s no director out there doing better stuff.”

Most of Revolver's wins came in collaboration with Telstra and Bear Meets Eagle on Fire, who were named the third-best independent agency in the world.

“I was almost happier for [Bear Meets Eagle on Fire CCO] Micah Walker than I was for us,” Michael admitted. “The guy put so much into it … it’s great to see it come to fruition.

"The efficacy of the Telstra work is evident in that it is loved outside of the industry, a testament to the visionary leadership from CMO Brent Smart at Telstra."

Michael says a high level of craft is “baked” into the briefs Revolver gets from Bear Meets Eagle on Fire. For their part, the agency credits the creativity of the Telstra campaigns to the brand itself, especially its CMO Brent Smart.

“Brent and the Telstra team have always given us room to colour outside the lines and surprise them,” Micah Walker told LBB.

“We still have to deliver ideas that live up to that ambition, but that’s good pressure, and when they buy something, they’re all in. There are lots of chats along the way on everything -- less about control and more about shared ambition and trust.”

Revolver also won a Bronze Film Lion for its work on 7-Eleven’s ‘Go Further’, with Clems.

“In a really crowded category, that win was special,” Michael said. "I'm so pleased for 7-Eleven and Clems, because those guys went out on a whim to make that, and it's pretty punchy work for the category.”

“It was such a fun project, and we were lucky enough to share that win with them.”