ASIA-PACIFIC – BANGKOK, THAILAND, DECEMBER 2010 – Ram Madhvani joins ADFEST 2011’s line-up of Jury Presidents, overseeing the Jury Panel for Film Craft Lotus and New Director Lotus.
Madhvani is a director and partner at one of India’s leading production houses, Equinox Films. With over 20 years’ experience, he ranked #11 in the Gunn Report’s most awarded Directors in 2007. His HappyDent commercial for McCann-Erickson Mumbai is one of Asia’s most memorable campaigns, and it featured alongside LMN by Creativeland Asia, in the Shots Top 20 ranking of Asia Pacific advertising over the last 20 years.
He made his feature film debut with “Let’s Talk” which won Best Actor at the Screen Awards and Best Debut Director at the Srinivas Gollapudi National Awards. In 2005, he directed a documentary on India’s foremost star Mr Amitabh Bachchan. The film (‘Everlasting Light’) premiered at the Lincoln Center in New York to critical acclaim.
“I asked quite a few friends from the industry whether I should accept ADFEST’s invitation to be Jury President and all of them unanimously said ‘Yes’. They all spoke of the quality of the festival, and the seriousness and fairness of purpose, and on a personal level I thought it would be a good way to see what’s happening in the region and re-energize and fertilize. I am also curious and excited to see work by New Directors since I consider myself one, too,” says Madhvani.
Jimmy Lam, ADFEST President says: “Ram’s passion for filmmaking makes him the perfect candidate to oversee the Film Craft Lotus and New Director Lotus juries at ADFEST 2011. He has directed some of Asia’s most memorable advertising campaigns, and it is an honour to welcome him to ADFEST to share his talents with the region.”
ADFEST takes place in Phuket, Thailand from March 17 to 19, 2011.