Mumbai: McCann India has extended the submission deadline for Fresh Take 2026, its talent platform launched in partnership with D&AD and Mothership Productions, to discover and nurture India’s next generation of advertising film directors.
Following strong interest from aspiring filmmakers, applications will now remain open until Monday, July 20, 2026, 11:59 PM IST, giving emerging directors additional time to submit their work. The initiative is open to ad film directors who are within the first three years of their directorial careers.
Participants can submit up to five films directed between June 1, 2023, and June 30, 2026, through the official Fresh Take 2026 application portal.
Alongside the deadline extension, McCann India has also announced the inaugural jury panel comprising leading creative and filmmaking professionals from across the advertising industry. The jury includes Akanksha Seda, Director at Good Morning Films; Amit Sharma, Co-founder and Director at Chrome Pictures; Anand Menon, Co-founder and Executive Producer at Early Man Film; Ashish Khazanchi, Managing Partner at Enormous; Rahul Mathew, Chief Creative Officer at McCann India; Shirsha Guha Thakurta, Founder and Director at Oink Films; and Sukesh Nayak, Chief Creative Officer at Ogilvy.
The jury will evaluate entries based on storytelling, originality, craftsmanship and creative vision.
The winner of Fresh Take 2026 will receive a fully sponsored trip to the D&AD Festival 2027, one of the world’s leading gatherings of creative professionals, along with the opportunity to direct two commissioned projects for McCann India over a 12-month period.
The two runners-up will receive complimentary access to the D&AD Online Masterclass – “Storytelling for Action,” providing learning opportunities from globally recognised creative leaders.
The Fresh Take 2026 awards ceremony is scheduled to take place in Mumbai on August 7, 2026.
Entries can be submitted through the official Fresh Take 2026 Form until Monday,
