CANNES: The S&S NDS goes back to its roots for its 25th.

In the beginning, the Saatchi & Saatchi New Directors Showcase was all about uncovering directing talent.

This year it was again.

There was no groundbreaking live show. No technological wizardry.

This year, at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, the focus was on the talent of its directors.

The event began with 25×25: An Experiment in Film. This was a film made from 25 one minute-long videos all strung together, made by 25 directors who first made their mark at the NDS. Each director had been given a brief: to create a 60 second film, end his/her film with a prop from their original Showcase film, and start their film with the preceding director’s prop.

Those directors are: Daniel Kleinman, Dawn Shadforth, Floria Sigismondi, Jonathan Glazer, Michel Gondry, Ivan Zacharias, Traktor, Dante Ariola, Ringan Ledwidge, Antoine Bardou-Jacquet, Carl Erik Rinsch, Noam Murro, Tim Bullock, Dougal Wilson, James Rouse, Jamie Rafn, Fredrik Bond, Philippe Andre, Jake Scott, Ne-o, David Wilson, Daniel Wolfe, Ilya Naishuller, Vania Heymann and Charlie Robins.

Pablo Del Campo, worldwide creative director of Saatchi & Saatchi commented, “The film 25×25 is a celebration to thank the amazing directors who have made the New Directors’ Showcase possible. It is testament to the enduring influence of the Showcase on both commercial and experimental film. The legacy started with Paul Arden and Bob Isherwood. We thought that this year everything should be on screen. If you have a strong heritage you have to celebrate it.”

Following the premiere of 25×25, the NDS Class of 2015 was revealed and the 14 films screened.

The screening was sponsored by Corbis, a leading digital content and worldwide entertainment rights company founded by Bill Gates.

Andy Gulliman, producer of 25×25 and Saatchi & Saatchi’s Worldwide Director of Film and Content noted, “The New Directors’ Showcase has mapped the cultural and commercial zeitgeist in each of its 25 years, and how it has shifted according to the tastes and technologies of the times. The willingness of each of the 25 directors to contribute to this experiment in film for the New Directors Showcase underscores the value of promoting emerging creative talent.”

This is the New Directors Showcase of 2015:

Ben Knight: Denali