Gold for Lionel Goldstein and Czar at Cannes Lions Festival

Czar and directing duo Koen Mortier and Joe Vanhoutteghem, known under their alias Lionel Goldstein, have once again achieved success at the prestigious International Festival of Creativity in Cannes. This year, they received three lions for their remarkable work in the advertising world. 

They received a Gold Lion in the category Film with the film for Axe/Lynx ‘The Robbery, a collaboration with Lola MullenLowe. In the Film Craft - Best Direction category, they received a Silver Lion for 'Film Fest Gent 2023', the campaign film celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Film Festival Gent. Additionally, they won a Bronze Lion in Film Craft - Best Casting category for Axe/Lynx ‘The Robbery’.  

Film Fest Gent 2023 

Film Festival Gent celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2023. The campaign film opens with Rainer in an old house, celebrating his 50th birthday. In front of a filled theatre, he announces his intention to recreate the story of his birth, assigning roles to the actors in the room. Referencing the inaugural 1974 edition, when Rainer Werner Fassbinder's "Der Händler der vier Jahreszeiten" opened the festival. The protagonist, Rainer, whose life revolves around film, humorously and tenderly transports viewers back to 1974, attempting to recreate the festival's inception as a means of rediscovering his own origins. 

Lionel Goldstein ingeniously intertwines a love for film and the festival's history. Set against a typical Flemish backdrop, contrasting the festival's international acclaim, the film highlights the festival's modest beginnings. Through the witty direction and absurd twists, a diverse audience can relate to the film. These creative and thoughtful choices ensure the film's relevance in the realm of film craft and directing, captivating a large audience with its humour and ingenuity.

Axe/Lynx - The Robbery

With a rich history of using its fragrances to ignite attraction, Axe/LYNX presents "The Power of a Fragrance". This campaign taps into the rising trend of dark humour, featuring LYNX Blue Lavender, a standout scent from the NEW Fine Fragrance Collection. 

The film "Robbery", made by the irreverent Lionel Goldstein, takes humour to new heights to play with the power of fragrance. We follow the escapade of a woman who, somewhat impulsively, attempts to rob a roadside café, only for the scent of LYNX Blue Lavender fragrance to lead to an unexpected twist. 

The campaign goes live in cinemas and online across the UK and Turkey, as well as in various Latin American countries such as Mexico, Argentina, and Uruguay this month. 

CZAR & Lionel once again demonstrate that a perfect combination of humour, boldness, and creativity always wins awards.