It's slightly facetious to refer to any one night of Cannes Lions week as the big party night because it's not as if the other nights are quiet. But with many heading home on the Friday, a lot of the hardcore partying and most lavish dinners are often scheduled for the Thursday evening and, this year, that was amplified by the timing of England's second game at Euro 2024... which prompted a lot of anxiety drinking among the faithful.

Consequently, Friday morning tends to be the bleariest start of the week for many, and Ed Sayers's chances of attracting a full house to the annual Straight 8 Industry Shootout screening would appear to be fairly remote. It is the year of Straight 8's silver jubilee though, and perhaps that, combined with the affection people feel for this event, was the reason for an extremely good turn out at Les Arcades Cannes just across the Croisette from the Palais.

The attendees shuffled into place like unusually sociable zombies from around 10.00. Ed, looking as fresh as a daisy, despite nursing the remnants of a virus earlier in the week, welcomed each new arrival with the conviviality that has earned him a reputation as one of the nicest people in the advertising game.

He was accompanied, as he always is, by his faithful lieutenant Alex Glynn. Ed may be the front man of the enterprise but he is always quick to acknowledge the crucial industry and skill of Alex as he pulls everything together and ensures that the show runs as smoothly as possible.

There were fifteen films made by the ad industry companies bold enough to participate, and it was a strong year, with a surprising lack of the unfortunate disasters which can befall any of the filmmakers, such is the jeopardy of this brilliant format.

As a proxy voter for our absent friends at Presence, DAVID had to make a brief assessment of each film, and the standard was so impressive they all felt like contenders.

The winner was a film called AI Cheese by start-up 'Imagine This' with VCCP winning Silver, Bronze going to T&P, and Presence winning the audience award (based on the loudest applause received).

It was good to see two agencies on the rostrum, and quite the surprise that perennial Straight 8 winners Iris weren't among them. Doubtless, they will be back.

Humour and ingenuity are the traits that tend to appeal to the audience the most, and so it proved this year.

DAVID had the winning film in second place with a marginal preference for a terrific effort from Mad Cow. It's a measure of how tight it must have been that their film didn't even place.

If you missed the screening because you weren't in Cannes or because you woke on Friday morning in an abandoned rowing boat on an Antibes beach with a 1990s techno track still playing inside your pulsing head, you'll be glad to hear that there's a second opportunity to watch the fifteen films in London on Thursday, 27th June.