Here's to the incredible winners of the Good Ads Matter Awards 2026

Based in the UK Emma Branderhorst is a director at The Corner Shop, an international production company known for representing filmmakers across commercials, film, and branded content, with offices in London and Los Angeles. Emma began her career with independent short films, developing a distinct voice centred on realism and female perspectives. Her early films, including ‘Under the Skin’, ‘Ma Mère et Moi’, and ‘Spotless’, premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival

Based in Mumbai Sudhir Mishra is an Indian filmmaker known for his work as a director and screenwriter, with a career spanning over three decades. He is widely recognised for his socially and politically driven storytelling, often exploring themes of identity, power, and human relationships. He began his career in the 1980s as an assistant director and screenwriter, working on films like ‘Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron’. He made his directorial debut with ‘Yeh Woh Manzil To Nahin’ (198

Based in the USA & Canada Goh Iromoto is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker known for emotionally grounded storytelling that spans intimate human narratives and large-scale commercial work. Represented by PRETTYBIRD in the US and UK, and Steam Films in Canada, his work blends cinematic visuals with deeply personal storytelling. His style is defined by a naturalistic and empathetic approach, with a strong emphasis on casting and performance. He often works with real people and lived

Based in the USA Bianca Poletti is an Argentine-American director and photographer associated with Biscuit Filmworks, known for her work across commercials, music videos, and short films. Based in Los Angeles, she has built a strong reputation for creating visually driven, character-focused stories, often exploring coming-of-age narratives and different facets of the human psyche. With work that spans narrative film, commercial work, and photography, she is known for combinin

Based in the UK Georgia Hudson is a director and artist associated with Park Pictures, known for her work across commercials, music videos, and film. Based in London, she has built a strong reputation for creating visually striking, emotionally driven work that combines performance, movement, and storytelling. She began her career through fashion, art, and media—working as a photographer’s assistant, performance artist, and videographer at i-D Magazine—before transitioning in

Based in the USA Kyle Cody is a VFX artist and Creative Director at Electric Theatre Collective, United States. With over 15 years of experience, he is known for leading high-end visual effects work across global advertising, combining storytelling with advanced VFX techniques. He began his career in visual effects and spent over a decade at The Mill in New York, where he rose to Head of 2D and VFX Supervisor, leading large teams and complex commercial projects. He later join

Based in the USA Ina Pira is the Head of Curation at Vimeo, USA, where she leads the platform’s curation efforts, including the widely recognised Staff Picks program. In this role, she is responsible for identifying, selecting, and showcasing standout films and videos, working closely with filmmakers and shaping how high-quality content is discovered and promoted on the platform. Before joining Vimeo, Ina built her background in film programming and festival curation. She wo

Based in Kerala Parvathy Thiruvothu is an Indian actor known for her work across Malayalam and Tamil cinema, widely recognised for portraying strong, character-driven roles. She is regarded as one of the most respected performers in contemporary Indian cinema, known for choosing scripts that focus on realism, gender, and social themes. She began her career in 2006 and gained early recognition with Poo (2008), followed by mainstream success with films like Bangalore Days (20

Based in Hyderabad Nag Ashwin is a film director and screenwriter known for his work in Telugu cinema, with a growing influence across Indian and global filmmaking. His work is characterised by a mix of strong storytelling and ambitious scale, often combining rooted narratives with larger cinematic vision. He began his career as an assistant director, working with filmmaker Sekhar Kammula on projects like Leader and Life Is Beautiful, before making his directorial debut with

Based in Mumbai Manoj Bajpayee is a highly revered Indian actor known for his work across Hindi cinema and streaming platforms, with a career spanning over three decades. Widely regarded for his versatility and depth, he has built a strong reputation for portraying complex, character-driven roles. He began his journey in theatre before gaining national recognition with Satya (1998), which established him as a powerful performer in Indian cinema. Over the years, he has worked

Based in Mumbai Neeraj Ghaywan is an award-winning writer, director, and ad filmmaker known for his work across cinema and long-form storytelling. Emerging from the independent film movement in India, he has built a body of work that combines strong narratives with a focus on social realities. He began his career assisting Anurag Kashyap on films like Gangs of Wasseypur and Ugly, before making his directorial debut with Masaan (2015). Over the years, he has worked across fea

Based in Mumbai Ashish Chakravarty is the Managing Partner and Chief Creative Officer at Garage Worldwide, where he leads the agency’s creative direction and drives growth across digital, design, and integrated brand experiences. With over three decades in advertising, he is a highly awarded creative leader, known for shaping impactful and culturally relevant campaigns. He began his career as a copywriter at JWT and TBWA, before moving through senior creative roles at agencie

Based in Germany Simon Meyer is a German film director, cinematographer, and editor who has recently expanded his expertise into AI filmmaking. He works at the intersection of traditional film and emerging technology, creating AI-generated content and exploring new visual approaches using artificial intelligence. Over the past year, Simon has focused on experimenting with AI tools, producing a range of AI-led advertising and visual work. He also shares his knowledge with othe

Based in Germany Shamila Lengsfeld is a German-Iranian director, screenwriter, and AI filmmaker. She is an Adobe Ambassador, Creative Partner at InVideo.io , and Creative Director at LEaT con, where she works on AI-led broadcast and future workflows. Her work focuses on integrating artificial intelligence into filmmaking, both as a creative tool and a production process, with a strong emphasis on accessibility and new storytelling possibilities. She also conducts masterclass

Based in Canada Julien Vallée and Eve Duhamel are a director duo, popularly known as Vallée Duhamel. They work across film, video art, and advertising, combining live-action, CGI, and AI-led techniques. Their practice focuses on blending traditional craft with new technology to create visually driven storytelling. Their work is known for a distinctive visual style that combines structured design with experimental elements, often creating layered narratives that play with real

Based in Kolkata Kaushiki Chakraborty is one of the leading voices in Hindustani classical music today, known for her command over khayal, thumri, dadra, and devotional forms like bhajans. Trained in the Patiala gharana, a style of Hindustani music, she combines strong classical foundations with a contemporary approach to reach wider audiences. She is also the founder of initiatives like Music & Us, a digital platform that blends the traditional guru-shishya learning style w

Based in Bangalore Umma Saini is a Global Brand & Creative Leader. Currently she is the Director of Creative & Content at PhonePe, where she leads brand storytelling and content strategy for one of India’s largest fintech platforms. Previously, she served as Chief Creative Officer at Schbang, shaping integrated, digital-first campaigns at scale. A graduate in Mass Media from University of Mumbai, Umma began her journey in advertising soon after college and has since built a

Based in Bangalore Shyam Kumar K is the Senior Brand Manager at KRAFTON Inc. India, a leading video game publishing and holding company. A marketing professional with a strong foundation in brand strategy, his work is centered on culturally relevant storytelling, fostering deep community engagement, and positioning gaming as a mainstream entertainment category in India. With an early interest in media and advertising, he began his journey as an intern at Leo Burnett. His care