Jung von Matt submitted the largest number of films to the 2007 VDW Award, followed by DDB Group Germany and Heimat. Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg entered 12 commercials. The winner of the university commercial category will receive a Hatto award and an ARRI-sponsored service package valued at around €10,000.
Ticket sales opened after the submission deadline. The awards ceremony is scheduled for 29 September in Frankfurt.
VDW managing director Uta-Sabine Haerlin described the award as increasingly important to emerging commercial filmmakers. Overall submissions also rose substantially compared with the previous year.
“The important aspect of the VDW Award is that it does not honour only the idea, but the creative execution of a commercial by its individual film departments,” said Florian Sigl, executive producer at Bakery Films. A jury of more than 100 representatives from agencies, advertisers, film production, specialist journalism, and trade organisations will assess entries through a two-stage process. Results will remain confidential until 15 Hattos are presented at the gala, where 750 guests are expected.
More than 1,000 cinema and television commercials were produced annually in Germany at the time. The Verband Deutscher Werbefilmproduzenten established the VDW Award in 2002. Its 38 members represented around 75 percent of German commercial-film production volume.
