Curious Film is returning to Cannes to try to outdo itself. Last year, it won two Gold Lions for Blazed. You might think that the Oscar, Bafta and Indie Spirit Award it has since won for Ida, would be award enough. But then, you wouldn’t be Curious.

TINNYVISION: Directed by Taika Waititi for Clemenger BBDO

A Snapchat campaign that has already been a finalist for Direction in Film Craft, Digital Craft Use of Video, Digital and Interactive Mobile & Innovation, and Long Form Branded Entertainment at NZ’s Axis awards?  A finalist for both Interactive Film and Mobile Branded Content at AWARD? A Snapchat that wins a Pencil in Branded Content at D&AD? Welcome to “TinnyVision”.

Where do you think young guys who like to get stoned would watch an ad? Point taken – they wouldn’t. They’re experts at tuning out ads they don’t find believable and messages they don’t want to hear. But they do hang out on Snapchat. So that’s where Clemenger BBDO, Curious and Curious’ Taika Waititi placed their stoned driving awareness content, “TinnyVision”. “TinnyVision” is a bunch of young guys sharing their stoner exploits on Snapchat. Because they can get away with it. On Snapchat you watch it once and it’s gone. No incriminating evidence. It had to look right and feel authentic. Curious and Taika Waititi excelled. It had to be addictive to watch and then shocking. They nailed that too.

The guys’ exploits got dumber as they became more stoned. Their reactions also got slower. Then they went for a drive. Disaster. They hit a girl.

The trio had seeded rumours of “TinnyVision’s” funny stoner snaps on sites where kiwi stoners hang out and swap stories. Thousands were receiving “TinnyVision” snaps. None of them knew the car accident was a set-up – until they received the punch line in a final snap, “Stoned drivers are slower to react.”

FOLLOW NO-ONE: Directed by Darryl Ward for Colenso BBDO

A cinematic ode to gold is Curious’ first Monteith’s Cannes contender. Its production values clearly show why. In “Follow No-One”, Curious’ Darryl Ward gave octane power to the meaning behind Colenso BBDO’s message, “Back then there were no footsteps to follow/You made your own way, and carved your own path/And that spirit lives on as fiercely today as it did then/Monteith’s proudly Follow No-one.”

BORDER SECURITY: Directed by Miki Magasiva for Saatchi & Saatchi Australia

Most cider brands make it appear they are made from freshly crushed fruit. They use foreign apple concentrate. And fillers. Freshly crushed and filler-free is the promise of New Zealand brand, Monteith’s Cider. So Saatchi & Saatchi Australia convinced Monteith’s to create a Monteith’s knock-off – a concentrate-based fake called Monteeth’s – and blame it on the Aussies. The story was spread over three weeks. Then came its climax. Curious’ Miki Magasiva directed a parody episode of “Border Security”, showing how far New Zealand authorities would go to keep the fake cider out. They had raised the country’s biosecurity alert level and security officers were using a battalion of concentrate sniffing sheep to stop fake cider at Auckland airport.

ODE TO SUMMER: Directed by Zia Mandviwalla for Ogilvy & Mather New Zealand

“Summer’s golden kiss makes your bare feet light/No-one else can touch you when this feels so right.” Mandviwalla’s job was to create the evocative montage of moments that underline the Ode to Summer that had been written by Ogilvy & Mather New Zealand’s departing executive creative, director Angus Hennah, and narrated by Samoan recording artists, Ladi6. Ultimately, the job was to coax all New Zealanders to participate in any number of sports, casual or competitive. Because “Ode to Summer” is an ad for Rebel Sport.

SOMETHING TO TELL YOU: Directed by Sam Kristofski for Tom Lark

When interviewed by Something You Said, Tom Lark said:

I am Tom Lark.

I recorded Something To Tell You in my bedroom along with the rest of my new EP.

New Zealand is a country located at the bottom of the planet earth.

These three things go a long way to explaining why Sam Kristofski’s video for “Something To Tell You” is going to Cannes. Kristofski gave a young New Zealand indie muso’s self-produced single a whole lot of standout in an industry where small budget videos like this have to compete with mega-productions.