IDIDTHAT JUDGE
ZEE NTULI
DIRECTOR
DARLING FILMS
SOUTH AFRICA
JUDGE’S BIO
Zee Ntuli is known for creating globally recognized work that combines striking visuals with strong storytelling. His campaigns have earned honours at Cannes Lions, The Clios, The One Show, and Loeries, including Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Glass Lions, as well as a Gold Pencil. In 2024, he served on the Cannes Lions Film Craft Jury, further cementing his reputation in the industry. Zee’s work continues to resonate worldwide, delivering creativity, impact, and aesthetic precision across film and advertising.
JUDGE’S PICKS – CRAFT AWARDS
I DID THAT CRAFT AWARDS
Judge’s Pick – Zee Ntuli
JUDGES COMMENT ON DIRECTION
“Best In Craft goes to ‘Golden Arches’ Director’s Cut for a few simple reasons. It’s a beautifully simple idea, handled with real confidence and restraint. Slim makes something technically complex feel light. Easy. Almost casual to watch.
There’s a quiet magic running through it. That feeling of being pulled out of the everyday. Of being saved, just for a moment, from the dull rhythm of life. Slim taps into that without pushing it or underlining it.
What really lands for me is how the whole thing comes together. This is where directing shows. The film becomes more than the sum of its parts. Cinematography, edit, wardrobe, performance. Nothing is shouting. Everything is in conversation.
It feels effortless, even though you know it isn’t. Rich, graphic images. A smooth, floating edit. Choices that stay out of the way of the feeling. It’s just good! Clean. Thoughtful. Properly made.“
AWARDED
15 January 2025
I DID THAT CRAFT AWARDS
Judge’s Pick – Zee Ntuli
JUDGES COMMENT ON SOUND – ORIGINAL MUSIC CRAFT
“This piece plays with the ‘save the world’ trope really well. What lifts it for me is how seriously it commits. There’s no distance from the idea. No winking at the audience. That sincerity is exactly where the comedy comes from.
The musicians fully lean in. They treat the parody like it matters, and that’s what makes it funny. The performances are genuinely great. Everyone feels on the same page, tonally and emotionally.
It’s nuanced. Restrained. And confident enough to trust the idea without overplaying it.“
AWARDED
15 January 2026
BIC ‘Chef’ (Director’s Cut)
ENTRANT: Spitfire Films | Josh Levi
(Entered on behalf of Josh Levi by Spitfire Films)
I DID THAT CRAFT AWARDS
Judge’s Pick – Zee Ntuli
JUDGES COMMENT ON CINEMATOGRAPHY CRAFT
“With BIC, ‘Chef’, it would have been very easy to chase something like The Bear. Go frenetic. Long lenses. Constant pressure. That language is right there for the taking.
Instead, Josh and the team pulled back and employed restraint.
The piece feels cared for. You can feel the hands on it. It’s naturalistic. Tactile.”
AWARDED
15 January 2026
