# Sebastian Strasser

Sebastian Strasser is a German director for advertising and films, born in Transylvania. With over 250 international awards, including 20 Lions in Cannes, multiple Gold at the London IAA, New York Film Festival, D&AD, Eurobest European Advertising Festival, One Show, Clio Awards, Montreux, he is considered one of the most influential creatives of his generation. The Gunn Report has repeatedly listed him among the most awarded directors in the world, and his spot "Kids on Steps" for Volkswagen was elected among the 20 best commercials of the 21st century by the Gunn Report in 2015. His first short film, Happy End, premiered at Berlinale Filmfestival in 2005. In 2015, he founded the production company Anorak, followed by the innovative Studio Lipstick in 2023.

## Life

Sebastian Strasser's parents and grandparents were theatre actors, and he was on stage by the age of six. After graduating from the German Goethe College in Bucharest, he studied film at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne and subsequently worked at ARD, Germany's first public broadcasting channel, as a writer and journalist for the groundbreaking political TV shows "Zak" and "Privatfernsehen" with Friedrich Küppersbusch.
In 2000, Strasser transitioned to directing commercials and quickly rose to become one of the most influential directors worldwide. His works continue to set benchmarks in creative storytelling and technical brilliance.
In 2005 his first short film, Happy End (with Matthias Schweighöfer and Katharina Schüttler), was shown at the Berlinale film festival.
In 2016 Sebastian and his producing partner Christiane Dressler founded ANORAK, a Berlin-based production company, that ranked Nr. 1 in the creative ranking of the best production company in all years since foundation.
In 2016 Sebastian moved with his family to Los Angeles, where he is represented by Reset Content; his agents for film and television are at UTA: United Talent Agency.
In fall 2018, his dystopian series Darklands was picked up by Warner Brothers and is currently in development (writers room). The eight-episode drama television series, for which Sebastian signs as creator, writer, director and showrunner, is being co-written by Bernd Lange and produced by Ratpack Films.
In 2019 he wrote and directed Apparat: 15 min. short film, starring Ulrich Thomsen and Ayelet Zurer, with cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto. The film is produced by Radical Media and The Mill.
With his AI studio Lipstick, he made history once again in 2024: his global campaign for Vodafone stirred up excitement and heated discussions far beyond the advertising industry.
Strasser remains not only a creative visionary but also a shaper of the future – someone who addresses complex topics with a refreshing directness and insightful humour.

## Works
### Selected awards

| Year | Campaign / Film | Festival | Awards |
| 2024 | Reanult "Revolution R5" | Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity | Bronze - Production Design Bronze - Production in Achievement |
| 2020 | Mercedes "Bertha Benz" | ADC Europe | Gold - Direction Gold - Cinematography Gold - Editing Gold - Branded Content |
| 2020 | Mercedes "Bertha Benz" | One Show | Gold - Film Gold - Cinema advertising Silver - Online Films Bronze - Cinematography |
| 2020 | Mercedes "Bertha Benz" | ADC | x2 Gold - Cinematography, Editing x3 Silver - Direction, Camera, Casting x2 Bronze - Short form, Editing - single |
| 2019 | Mercedes "Bertha Benz" | Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity | Silver Lion - Film/TV Silver Lion - Prod. Design Bronze Lion - Cinematography Bronze Lion - Casting |
| 2019 | Mercedes "Bertha Benz" | D&AD Awards | Graffite - Direction |
| 2019 | Mercedes "Bertha Benz" | London International Awards | Gold - Performance/casting Gold - Direction Gold - cinematography Gold - Editing Gold - Scripted short film Silver - Branded content |
| 2019 | Mercedes "Bertha Benz" | Epica Awards | Grand Prix - Film Gold - Film |
| 2018 | Volkswagen "Kid's Dreams" | Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity | Silver Lion - Film/TV |
| 2018 | Volkswagen "Kid's Dreams" | New York Film Festival | Gold - Advertising |
| 2018 | Volkswagen "Kid's Dreams" | ADC | Gold - Promotional Spot Silver - Single Spot Silver - Point of Sale Bronze - Online Film ADC Award - Direction ADC Award - Casting |
| 2017 | Nissan "Battle Tested" | Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity | Bronze Lion - Best VR |
| 2016 | Mercedes 'Time To Look Up Again' | London International Awards | Gold - Direction |
| 2016 | Mercedes 'Time To Look Up Again' | London International Awards | Gold - Cinematography |
| 2016 | Mercedes 'Time To Look Up Again' | London International Awards | Gold - Production Design |
| 2016 | Mercedes 'Time To Look Up Again' | London International Awards | Silver - Editing |
| 2016 | Mercedes 'Time To Look Up Again' | London International Awards | Silver - Visual Effects |
| 2015 | Audi 'Mechanics' | Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity | 2x Silver Lion - Film/TV |
| 2015 | Audi 'Mechanics' | ADC | Silver - TV/Kino Einzelspot |
| 2015 | Audi 'Mechanics' | ADC | Bronze - Director |
| 2015 | Audi 'Mechanics' | ADC | Bronze - DoP |
| 2015 | Audi 'Mechanics' | ADC | Bronze - Internetfilm |
| 2014 | Vodafone 'Add Power' | Cristal Festival Europe | Cristal & Grand Cristal |
| 2014 | Vodafone 'Add Power' | Clio | Gold |
| 2014 | BMW X4 X-World 'Embrace the Unknown' | Eurobest | Bronze |
| 2013 | Volkswagen 'People are People' | ADC | Silver |
| 2012 | ASOS 'Streetdance' | Cannes International Advertising Festival | Gold Lion - Design |
| 2012 | ASOS 'Streetdance' | Cannes International Advertising Festival | Bronze Lion – Best Video |
| 2012 | ASOS 'Streetdance' | Cannes International Advertising Festival | Bronze Lion – Best Soundtrack |
| 2012 | ASOS 'Streetdance' | Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity | Gold Lion - Design |
| 2012 | ASOS 'Streetdance' | Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity | Bronze Lion – Best Video |
| 2012 | ASOS 'Streetdance' | Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity | Bronze Lion – Best Soundtrack |
| 2012 | ASOS 'Streetdance' Grand Prix Eurobest 2012 | London International Awards | Silver |
| 2012 | Hornbach 'Let there be spring' | ADC | Silver - Film/Craft Direction |
| 2012 | Hornbach 'Let there be spring' | ADC | Silver - Film/Craft Camera |
| 2012 | Hornbach 'Let there be spring' | ADC | Bronze - Film/Craft Editing |
| 2012 | Hornbach 'Let there be spring' | ADC | Bronze - Music & Sound |
| 2011 | Hornbach 'Let there be spring' | VDW Germany | Gold - Best Director |
| 2011 | Hornbach 'Let there be spring' | VDW Germany | Gold - Best Sound Design |
| 2011 | Hornbach 'Let there be spring' | London International Awards | Silver - Use Of Music |
| 2010 | Citroen 'Le Chien' | D&AD France | Gold - Best Director |
| 2010 | Citroen 'Le Chien' | Cannes International Advertising Festival | Silver Lion - Film Craft |
| 2010 | Citroen 'Le Chien' | Cannes International Advertising Festival | Bronze Lion - Film / Cars |
| 2008 | NSPCC 'Click' | London International Awards | Silver |
| 2007 | Volkswagen 'Dribbling Machine' | Art Directors Club | Gold |
| 2006 | Mini Cooper '30 Seconds' | Art Directors Club | Gold |
| 2006 | IKEA 'Freedom' | Cannes International Advertising Festival | Silver Lion |
| 2006 | IKEA 'Freedom' | Shark Awards | Gold |
| 2005 | Volkswagen 'Kids on steps' | New York Film Festival | Grand Prix |
| 2005 | Volkswagen 'Kids on steps' | New York Film Festival | Gold - World Medal |
| 2005 | Volkswagen 'Windup car' | New York Film Festival | Silver |
| 2005 | Volkswagen 'Windup car' | Mobius | Gold |
| 2005 | Volkswagen 'Kids on steps' | Cannes International Advertising Festival | Bronze Lion |
| 2005 | Volkswagen 'Kids on steps' | Golden Award of Montreux | Gold |
| 2005 | Mercedes-Benz 'Watering can' | Cannes International Advertising Festival | Bronze Lion |
| 2005 | Volkswagen 'Kids on steps' | Clio | Silver |
| 2005 | Volkswagen 'Kids on steps' | One Show | Silver |
| 2005 | Volkswagen 'Kids on steps' | London International Awards | Winner |
| 2004 | Volkswagen 'Windup car' | Eurobest | Gold |