Title	WELCOME TO HENNESSY CRAFTLAND
Brand	HENNESSY
Product/Service	MASTER BLENDER
Category	A10. Animation
Entrant	DDB PARIS, FRANCE
Idea Creation	DDB PARIS, FRANCE
Production	COLLECTIF SIN Paris, FRANCE

Name	Company	Position
Alexander Kalchev	DDB Paris	Executive Creative Director
Jenna Haugmard	DDB Paris	Art Director
Justine Bruneau	DDB Paris	Agency Producer
Xavier Mendiola	DDB Paris	Managing Director
Marine Hakim	DDB Paris	Account Manager
Emilie Van Den Berghe	DDB Paris	Account Manager
Julie Valero	DDB Paris	Account Executive
Floriane Degouy	DDB Paris	Account Executive
Géraldine Tixier	DDB Paris	Planner
Antoine Varlet	Hennessy	Advertiser Supervisor
Aurélie Lim	Hennessy	Advertiser Supervisor
Laure Destenay	Hennessy	Advertiser Supervisor
Ugo Gattoni	-	Illustrator
Jérémy Pires	-	Director
Flavien Berger	Collectif sin~,	Sound Prodcution

Tell the jury about type(s) of animation used and summarise any relevant challenges or techniques.

The film is an invitation to enter the world of Hennessy’s craftsmanship: it represents the love and passion of each craftmen, at each step of the cognac making process. In the same spirit, we decided to illustrate the story in two dimensions , in a traditional way, without any artifice. The animation is a journey, full of nostalgia where time seems to stand still. Through the film we follow the little character in black suit, which represents the Master Blender, accross a surrealist world drawn from the illustration that we brought to life frame by frame. Everytime the main character pass from one scene to another, the frame subtly comes alive. For example: the sink fills up with water, the clouds drive the freight ships, the secondary characters get moving in the background. Each movement gives form to a repeated loop over the centuries that nothing seems to disturb.

Write a short summary of what happens in the film

“Welcome to the Hennessy Craft Land” is an invitation to discover what’s behind a simple Hennessy cognac bottle, and more precisely the most important work of the Master Blender: the selection of eaux-de-vie. We follow him across the eaux-de-vie journey, in the making process of the cognac. It symbolically starts with its portrait as he is the representation of Maison Hennessy’s savoir-faire which has been passed on from generation to generation, and more importantly he is the one who creates the blend. The journey goes from the Tasting Committee office to the distillery, passing by the cooperage and ending by the vineyards not far from where the oaks that are used to make the barrels grow. In the center, we discover the limited edition bottle and its unique blend. Her position and size make her look majestic, while remaining delicately integrated to the making process and history of Maison Hennessy.

Cultural/Context information for the jury

Hennessy is a well known luxury spirit brand but only a few knows its history. The collaboration between 2 families, the Hennessy and the Fillioux, and the savoir-faire hidden behind every cognac and particularly the Master Blender’s Selection limited edition. A unique blend freely created by the Master Blender thanks to the eaux-de-vie selected and kept for this personal creation. No rules apply here, this blend contrary to others (eg: V.S.O.P or X.O) does’nt have to be perpetuated, it is made from a single batch. We gave as much as freedom to the illustrator and the music collective to illustrate and express the complete and unique story behind this act of creation. While the first one was fulfilling its sketchbook, the other was recording wood and footstep sounds in Cognac to create the music of the film.