On 28 May, IDIDTHAT, with the generous backing of our Cannes partners LITTLEBIG, hosted South Africa’s first-ever Cannes Predictions screening. This was a special get-together for agency creatives with work entered into this year’s Cannes Lions. Held in Joburg, the night brought the industry together to watch the work, hear from some of South Africa’s top creative leaders, and most importantly, celebrate one another. It was a rare chance to hit pause on the madness, get off the brief-train for a moment, and back the people who make the magic happen. And wow, what a night it was.

“When you’re in Cannes, there’s this beautiful thing that happens, as a country, we hold each other’s victories high. That’s exactly what this night felt like. Watching people see the work selected as South Africa’s top hopefuls and applaud it, even when it wasn’t their own, that’s what Cannes is all about.” – Julie Maunder, Founder of IDIDTHAT.co

This was the very first look at South Africa’s Cannes Predictions before we released them to the whole industry the next day. We screened the work that our panel of judges believes has the best chance of turning heads at Cannes this year and for each piece, the audience got to see direct remarks from the judges on why it stood out. Below, you’ll find that same screening video. If you missed the event, this is your front-row seat.

Everyone pitched up. And there was real love in the room. This wasn’t just about predictions it was about presence. About sitting next to your team while your work played on screen. About raising a glass to your peers. About backing South African creativity the best way we can, together.

We wanted to create a space that felt like a lift, a moment of recognition before the global stage. Because sometimes the best kind of backing is from the person across the table who knows exactly what went into that script, that shoot, that deadline. And that’s worth celebrating.

Usually as an industry we’re up against each other, but this was a rare and special moment to be for each other. Just like it is in Cannes. And for the folks who can’t make it to the Croisette this year, we hope this night felt like a little slice of it. We will be flying the flag high for all of you!

Ahead of Cannes, we asked a powerhouse panel to go through the Cannes entries submitted from SA and pick the pieces they believe could make waves on the global stage. Huge thanks to our judges: Fran Luckin, Sbu Sitole, Roland Sweet, Danni Pinch and Safaraaz Sindhi for bringing your insights, your instincts, and your time.

L to R: Saf Sindhi, Fran Luckin, Sbu Sitole, Danni Pinch & Roland Sweet

Thank you to The Blind Tiger Café and Andrew Human and the wonderful staff for the great venue and delicious food. To Marc Algranti for the epic tunes and flying out especially to DJ. A huge shoutout to LITTLEBIG for helping us make this night happen and for supporting IDIDTHAT and South African creativity every step of the way. You’re the reason we get to do this again and again.

Whether you’re heading to Cannes or cheering from home, this was a reminder that the level of craft coming out of South Africa is world-class and we’re backing it loudly and proudly. 

See all the pics from the night on our insta page here. 

Check out the official IDIDTHAT Cannes Predictions for 2025, including the selected work and what the judges had to say about each one: Read the full article.

To everyone who joined us, thank you for bringing the vibes.
To everyone with work entered, we’re holding thumbs.
To those of you going to Cannes, we’ll see you in Cannes.

To the rest of the industry, we’ve got you covered. We’ll be tracking all the news, the shortlists, the wins, and the gees from Cannes. Follow along at IDIDTHAT.co or catch us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Here’s what you need to know about our Cannes Lions 2025 Partners LITTLEBIG:

LITTLEBIG is a team-focused, quality-obsessed production company that backs South African creativity where it counts: behind the scenes, on set, and on the world stage. They’ve been with us every step of the way to Cannes and we couldn’t be prouder to partner with them.
Read more about LITTLEBIG partnering with IDIDTHAT to bring you all the South Africans in Cannes news 2025