Ciclope Festival 2025: When Craft Becomes the Language of Connection | Winners, Highlights & Inspiration

Berlin, October 7–9, marks the exciting Ciclope Festival 2025.

The 2025 edition of Ciclope Festival reaffirmed why Berlin continues to be the global capital of craft.
This year, the festival reached new heights in both attendance and creative authority.

The atmosphere across the Universität der Künste was vibrant, filled with filmmakers, producers, and creative leaders eager to celebrate what truly defines our industry. People, process, and precision were key aspects.

We noticed a larger, more diverse crowd than in 2024. High-profile delegates, agency leaders, and top-tier production companies shared the same space. They shared the belief that craft is still the heartbeat of storytelling.

🎙️ The Conversations That Defined Ciclope Festival 2025

Ciclope 2025 offered one of its most diverse and engaging line-ups to date. It included a series of panels and masterclasses that reflected the creative pulse of an industry constantly reinventing itself.

Sessions like Feel Your Way Through It with Brent Anderson (TBWA\Media Arts Lab) explored the role of intuition and emotion in a data-driven world. Meanwhile, The Swarm with Paul Rogers (Parallax, Everything Everywhere All at Once) redefined collaboration in editing.

Better Together, moderated by Lora Schulson, brought a candid conversation about trust, leadership, and creative partnership. The discussion included Sara Dunlop (Rattling Stick), Charlotte Arnold (Somesuch), and Jane Dilworth (MindsEye).

Elsewhere, This Is How We Do It with Kim Taylor Bennett (Stink Films) and Mastering the Craft featured Mark Jenkinson (Imperial Woodpecker) and Eli Sverdlov (Czar Amsterdam). They revealed how excellence comes from the synergy between departments.

The Art of Production Design showcased the vision of Alison Dominitz (Barbie) and Hannah Beachler (Black Panther). Meanwhile, The Craft of Brand Experience with Kim Gehrig (Somesuch) and Court Williams (DE–YAN) bridged culture, design, and technology— from Sphere Las Vegas to Outernet London.

In What the Hell Is Water?, Jovan Todorović (Smuggler) invited the audience to reconnect with presence and purpose in a hyper-accelerated creative world.

And during The Poetry of the Prompt, Eliza McNitt (Google Creative Lab) reframed AI as an extension of human imagination. This proved that craftsmanship remains the connective tissue between art and innovation rather than a replacement.

Altogether, the 2025 program reflected an industry in vibrant dialogue. It built bridges between technology and emotion, independence and scale, tradition and experimentation.
👉 Full Program →

🧠 Human Before Everything: The Journey Behind the Persona

Among the sessions that resonated most, Untold Stories: The Persona & The Person stood out for its honesty and emotional depth. Featuring Ali Brown (Prettybird), Alberto Ponte (Someplace), Sally Campbell (Somesuch), and Jason Kreher (DE–YAN), the conversation delved into the tension between public persona and personal identity — a theme that connected deeply with the audience.

The panel touched on a feeling many creatives quietly share: the sense of not always being ready. They all experienced walking into a room full of brilliance and wondering if they truly belonged.
It became a grounded, honest exchange — a reminder that vulnerability isn’t weakness, but part of the creative process itself.

🚀 This Is the Decade of the Independents

Another highlight was This Is the Decade of the Independents, hosted by Untold Studios co-founders Rochelle Palmer and Darren O’Kelly. They shared their extraordinary journey — from a six-person team to a global collective of 450 creatives. They explained how maintaining independence became their greatest strategic advantage.

Their story struck a powerful chord, reminding everyone that innovation in craft often starts small. A bold vision, a tight-knit team, and the courage to do things differently are key.

🏆 The 2025 Ciclope Awards

After three days of panels, screenings, and inspiring conversations, the spotlight finally turned to the Ciclope Awards Ceremony.

The ceremony celebrated the best in global production, post, and creative artistry, honoring six Grand Prix winners, nine Special Awards, and more than 170 trophies across Gold, Silver, and Bronze categories.

The winning work reflected an extraordinary range of creativity — from bold storytelling and direction to sound design, animation, and innovation in post-production.
👉 Full Winners Gallery → Ciclope Festival Official Site

🥇 Special Awards

• Production Company of the Year — Biscuit Filmworks
• Director of the Year — Steve Rogers
• Editing — Cabin Edit
• VFX — 1920
• Animation — Untold Studios
• Sound — Supreme Music
• Music — Leland
• Agency — Droga5
• Brand — Apple

🏆 Grand Prix Winners

IDEAS — L’Oréal Paris – “The Final Copy of Ilon Specht”
Agency: McCann Paris · Production: Traverse32 · Director: Ben Proudfoot (Breakwater Studios)

PRODUCTION — Hornbach – “No Project Without Drama”
Agency: Heimat TBWA\ Germany · Production: Tempomedia (co-prod. CANADA) · Director: Lope Serrano

PRODUCTION — Squarespace – “A Tale As Old As Websites”
Agency: Squarespace In-House · Production: Biscuit Filmworks (with Revolver) · Director: Steve Rogers

POST-PRODUCTION — Xbox – “Wake Up”
Agency: Droga5 New York · Production: RESET · Directors: Romain Chassaing & David Fincher · Post/VFX: 1920 · Edit: Cut+Run / The Quarry · Sound: WAVE Studios NY

ANIMATION — WWF – “In Hot Water”
Agency / Production: NOMINT · Director: Yannis Konstantinidis

SOUND & MUSIC — KFC – “Believe in Chicken: All Hail Gravy”
Agency: Mother London · Production: Business Club · Director: Vedran Rupic · Original Music: Mr Pape

🌍 A Global Dialogue on Craft

Over 200 jury members from around the world reviewed more than 1,800 entries across 44 craft categories, setting an incredibly high standard of judgment.
The overall level of work was remarkable — a clear reflection of how global craft continues to evolve through collaboration, authenticity, and emotional intelligence.

💬 Reflections from FilmmakersWorld

We’ve seen many editions of Ciclope over the years, but 2025 felt different.
It wasn’t defined by scale or numbers, but by the pulse of the community.
From the humor and depth of The Persona & The Person to the entrepreneurial spirit of Untold Studios, this year reminded us that craft is not a style — it’s a way of thinking, a way of connecting, and a way of building stories that last.

Beyond the awards and panels, what truly defines Ciclope is the dialogue. The countless exchanges, ideas, and sparks shared between filmmakers, producers, and creatives who believe in the value of doing things well are key.
And for us at FilmmakersWorld, that’s what makes this community so special: craft isn’t a destination — it’s a conversation that never stops.

✨ Explore More

• Full List of Winners
• 2025 Jury & Panels
• Ciclope Festival Official Site
• Ciclope on Instagram

For last year’s coverage, read our Ciclope Festival 2024 feature.

FAQ Ciclope Festival 2025