1.4's top of the spots

Possessed of a strong artist’s aesthetic, it’s no surprise to discover that New Zealand native Jason Bock began his career as a painter before segueing into filmmaking. More creator than director, his work blurs the boundaries between music video, documentary and commercial, taking the viewer on a round-the-world trip through beautifully constructed narratives about far-flung destinations and cultures. With his globe-trotting temporarily grounded by the pandemic, he chats to 1.4 about the importance of feeling your own work, Balinese demon queens and finding utopia in a nudist colony

Levitating rocks, cannibal slavers and a man muttering ‘spices, spices, spices’ while carrying a huge egg strapped to his back – welcome to the unsettling and utterly compelling world of Chino Moya. A master of surrealist dystopian sci-fi storytelling, the Black Dog director draws on a range of diverse influences, from his upbringing in the ‘liminal historical period’ of post-Franco Spain, to vast arid landscapes, the work of surrealist artist Giorgio de Chirico, and ‘70s album iconography. Returning to the world of promos after his feature film debut, Undergods, he talks to 1.4 about his early introduction to the horror genre and why he’s drawn to explore capitalist nightmares 

Set underneath a bridge, on the outskirts of Amsterdam during the hot summer of the pandemic, Jak O’Hare’s short film captures the genuine conversation between two strangers about life, uncertainty, dreams, vulnerability, and also trust and faith.

A creative polymath from a young age, writer-director Caleb Slain’s career has been defined by one constant: endless variety. From shooting big-brand commercials and music videos to creating an experimental writing app and dabbling in virtual reality with Eminem, his is a talent that refuses to be pigeonholed. His latest film, the 2021 Oscar-qualified short, enough., is a case in point: ten years in the making, it’s a ‘musical cinematic endeavour’ about a Black teenage boy coming of age in America, using interviews captured over a decade. He tells 1.4 about being predestined to become a filmmaker, and why he enjoys leaning into the hurricane.

This past year has been tough for parents: corralled with the kids, trying to hold down jobs while simultaneously home schooling and desperate for some peace and quiet, is it any wonder that strictly policed time on the tablet has become a little more… elastic? Not so for directing duo and brothers Michel & Nico, who challenged their offspring to go an entire month without screens, and captured the journey on film. Moving, lyrical and beautifully crafted, it’s a hymn to a more carefree era of life en , independence, grazed knees, and kids simply being kids – and a worthy winner of a 1.4 Award. 1.4 caught up with Michel to chat about the directing journey of the ‘nobodies from nowhere’ and what it’s really like to work with your nearest and dearest

When life gives you grapes, what do you do? Well, if you’re Nick Ball, you turn it into a beautifully crafted film for Simi wine. A classic coming of age narrative, The Untold Tale of Isabelle Simi follows the epic struggles of a feisty young woman, who takes over a Californian winery in the midst of the 1918 flu pandemic and overcomes family tragedy and Prohibition era constraints to become a winemaker extraordinaire. The director talks to 1.4 about false starts and parallels between pandemics.

Brazilian directing duo ALASKA have never made it to the chilly northern state that inspired their name, but they’ve gone on plenty of imaginary journeys through their fantastical films instead. Whether it’s jaw-dropping CGI worthy of a Marvel franchise or Gondry-inspired ‘conceptual in-camera crafty effects’, they’ve brought their sunny São Paulo dispositions and directorial flair to everything from big-brand ads for the likes of their latest for Mexican beer Victoria, Facebook, easyJet, Pepsi, and Samsung, to music videos about tiny humanoid robots or metamorphic mutants. They tell 1.4 how filmcraft is a vehicle for their craziest thoughts and why they plan to burn all big corporations to the ground. Just don’t tell Amazon.

With a visual style that blurs commercial aesthetics, lyrical storytelling and pure documentary, interdisciplinary filmmaker and producer Eloise King is part of a new wave of creative polymaths flowing between different spaces with ease. From institutional and structural racism, cultural turning-points, the Black liberation movement and gender violence against women, her work seeks to centre marginalised perspectives with authenticity and empathy. With the release of her latest ad for Barbie – an uplifting paean to the potential of young Black girls fronted by Clara Amfo – she reflects on why the next generation needs space to simply be themselves.

Front row seats for our favourite runway collections and yes we know it's so last season but we love it so - Miu Miu's Women's Tale of Parisian confinement, In My Room

Growing up in rural France as the daughter of a bohemian intellectual mother, director Lesly Lynch was ashamed of her mixed-race heritage, her sexuality and her sense of ‘otherness’. But after a childhood spent trying to conform, she’s now set her sights on creating a new normal. Through her progressive production company, Space Cowboys, she’s filling the screen with queer, POC and non-binary talent, amplifying underrepresented voices, and driving change through the medium of film. Using movement and choreography like ‘brushstrokes on canvas’, and rich in dreamlike visuals and surreal symbolism, Lynch’s films celebrate difference, diversity and her enduring, childlike sense of wonder at the world. She tells Selena Schleh about practicing self-hypnosis as a child, swapping law for a life behind the lens, and why the trajectory of life is never a straight line.

Disturbingly the Syrian conflict has now been raging for ten years with more than 600,000 people killed or missing and over 13.7 million now living in internal camps or as refugees abroad.  Director Paul Nevison's  experiences of visiting a such a camp in Lebanon have haunted him ever since and are behind his latest film which captures the resilience and resourcefulness of Syrians trying to protect their families from the horrors of war and displacement.   

Born in Toronto, Canada but ‘made’ in South Africa, director Marc Sidelsky has established his comedy credentials with a slew of subversively funny films. From commercial spots for VW and KFC to a literal coming-of-age music video for Dearly Beloved’s ‘Close Encounters’, his work taps into seemingly infinite shades of humour reflecting his ecletic, genre-agnostic filmic influences. A detail-orientated director, Sidelsky’s meticulous eye for set design, casting and framing finds its ultimate expression in his 1.4 Award-winning spot for Shelflife: Stussy x Nike, a refreshing new twist on fashion advertising. He tells 1.4 why the biggest hurdle is winning his own approval.

More music and film to make the world spin

The world is a beautiful place when it's filled with sublime music and film

We at 1.4 think Women’s International Day should run throughout the year, particularly when there’re spirited spots waving the flag and raising the consciousness. But we’re not completely biased of course. We love great car ads and films that highlight the value of sport on mental health too.

A cinematographer by trade, Farhad Ghaderi has only made a handful of forays into directing but his deeply personal touch, lyrical storytelling and ability to coax authentic performances from his cast have already marked him out as a rare talent. Drawing on the ‘beautifully chaotic’ cultures of his Mexican-Iranian heritage as well as plundering his own memories, his films have family at their core: be it the love-hate bond between brothers, or intergenerational trauma seen through the prism of a mother-daughter relationship. He talks to 1.4 about the appeal of bittersweet narratives, balancing the creative demands of cinematography and directing, and removing the ‘artifice of filmmaking’.

Less is most definitely more in the craft of animator Rosa Fisher, who can conjure up an entire narrative in her trademark scribble, deftly conveying deep emotions and complex characters in a couple of pen strokes. A rebel at heart, she’s interested in challenging established norms and breaking out of the boxes that society tries to confine us in, using colour as metaphor and inventive sound design to celebrate individuality and question conformity – from the damaging tradition of boarding school to PE lessons. She talks to 1.4 about learning the power of simplicity and the delights of working with her father on her award-winning short film.

A stormy night. A ship at sea, tossed on towering waves. Below decks, the passengers are confined to their cabins, the babble of increasingly bad news from the radio their only link to the outside world. A rising sense of panic as the boat pitches and rolls, buffeted by the storm. And then, glimpsed through the porthole, a literal ray of light: the circling beam of a lighthouse, the promise of safe harbour. As a visual allegory for the events of the last year, Through The Storm – a new short film for Vogue Italia – is perfect, with Swiss directing duo Kim and Florine Nüesch deftly capturing the sense of dread, isolation and finally hope. Anchored by their trademark styling and detailed production design, it’s that rare beast: a fashion film with substance as well as style. The sisters tell 1.4 about working together as siblings, the realities of shooting in a pandemic and how coming from a long line of Swiss architects has shaped their detail-orientated approach.

As a young Muslim growing up in post 9-11 America, Bilal S. Haider was deluged by negative media portrayals and prejudiced narratives – a legacy that has now led him, in his filmmaking career, to focus his lens on the dehumanising impact of social stigma on individuals. Driven by a simple ideology to create, his intensely personal approach finds heartbreaking expression in The Prisoner’s Song, a chiascuro portrait of a prisoner’s attempt to reintegrate into society, and the barriers which linger long after physical shackles have been removed. He tells 1.4 how the visual intimacy of Islam influences his craft, and the importance of making films that speak to our shared humanity.

Argentina’s capital Buenos Aires, birthplace of Lucrecia Taormina, translates as ‘fair winds’ – an appropriate description of the talented photographer-director, whose bold, unapologetic approach is a real breath of fresh air in the world of music videos. Having stumbled into directing on a whim, she’s tackled such weighty themes as rampant consumerism and female empowerment, carving out a niche in dark narratives where body parts get traded for designer goodies and bloody revenge is meted out on useless boyfriends. Fresh from the release of a new promo for Steven Wilson, she talks to 1.4 about the importance of meticulous planning and why her subconscious always steers her to the dark side.

Sharing a deadpan sense of humour and a distinct visual style, comedy directing duo Jocelyn DeBoer and Dawn Luebbe have parlayed their ‘bossy’ natures and backgrounds in sketch and improvisation into a series of sharply comic short films and commercials. Skewering suburban ideals and social niceties with a satirical gaze, the Biscuit filmmakers delight in peeling back the layer of strangeness lurking just beneath the surface of their expertly constructed worlds. They tell 1.4 about the power of humour in PSAs and how national nostalgia for the good old days sparked the idea for their award-winning film, Greener Grass.

Growing up in the cultural melting-pot of Camden, with a heritage straddling three cultures – British, Jamaica and Ghanaian – has given talented director Lainey Richardson the enviable ability to see many different viewpoints at the same time, making for richly empathetic filmmaking. Committed to spotlighting subcultures and subverting stereotypes, her drive to amplify marginalised voices comes from a very personal place. Recently signed to Caviar, she tells 1.4 why, as a Black filmmaker, she wants the same opportunities as anyone else to tell different kinds of stories

Ever wondered how easy it would be to reinvent yourself as a quail? Or how to tackle the day-to-day challenges of a literal black hole in your apartment? Such are the whimsical notions which animator Grant Kolton turns into his absurdist short films – a delightful comment on the absurdity of life itself. He talks to 1.4 about his favourite cartoon inspirations, why he stuck with 2D when it fell out of fashion, and Donald Trump’s disgusting nipples.

Growing up between London and Texas with Nigerian parents, filmmaker and photographer Meji Alabi’s unique perspective on African culture – combining an objective gaze with insider knowledge – has made him much sought-after by artists including Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage, Chronixx and most recently Beyonce. From West Kingston to Soweto and Lagos, the self-taught director delights in juxtaposing gritty locations with sharp choreography and diverse sources of inspiration, to vibrant and dynamic effect. Nor has a year of lockdowns clipped his wings, as he’s managed to shoot a slew of music videos and commercials remotely. Having recently signed to RSA, he tells 1.4 about respectfully pushing boundaries and subconscious inspiration. 

Loved for his music videos, Vedran Rupic gets his hilarious ad break, while Jonathan Alric of The Blaze breaks our hearts with his compassionate portrayal of MacMillan nurses. There’s also levity from Down Under, magic for Chinese New Year and Ian Pon Jewell’s speedy game changer

We might be actively avoid touching anything (and anyone) in the outside world, but indoors it’s a different matter. Matt Lambert’s latest film, for SKYN, is a cheeky ode to exploration, freedom and pleasure at our fingertips – inspired by a classic song with a naughty twist

50% Swedish, 50% Brazilian by heritage, Joanna Nordahl is no less than 100% raw talent. Starting from theatrical roots, she was drawn to the more enduring nature of film, and now happily straddles the worlds of directing and live performance art. Red threads of escapism pervade her work - winged women take a fantasy flight in Four Tet’s Baby video, while her lockdown project, Admiring u, transports us back into the past, on an intensely personal trip down memory lane. A master at infusing emotion into film, she talks to 1.4 about the importance of creative cross-pollination and why ‘what moves you, makes you move’.

Fuelled by mince pies and mulled wine, our esteemed jury are currently glued to their screens viewing your entries – and already the feedback is that the calibre of work, much of which they’ve never seen before, is exceptional.

You don’t see many music videos in the opera genre – and even fewer that involve gimp suits, flash-mobs, pushy mums and techno underground parties. In 2013, director Daniel Moshel and singer August Schram raised more than a genteel eyebrow or two with their surprising take on Carmen’s ‘Habanera’ – the first film in their fantastically original ‘MeTube’ project paying homage to a burgeoning culture of YouTube wannabes. Following the release of 'Una furtiva lagrima' - the third installment in the ‘opera meets pulp fiction’ trilogy - Moshel chats to 1.4 about his growing appreciation for opera, green screen hell and Austrian attitudes to humour.

In the dreary depths of a second lockdown and a winter of discontent, director Lydia Garnett is here to cheer us all up with her brilliant, camp, retro-futuristic western-inspired promo for Trouble Wanted – in which she also appears as a band member. She tells 1.4 about wild drag costumes, fantasy bars and the importance of owning the queer narrative.