Frédéric Planchon is a French commercial director working with Academy Films (UK), Anonymous Content (US), and Iconoclast (France). Born into French theatre royalty—his father Roger Planchon led the Théâtre National Populaire—he spent his youth backstage and worked as a theatre actor and assistant director on 15 feature films before making his directorial debut with the 1990 short film 'L'Echange,' which won the Prix de l'Image. His first commercial for Volkswagen came in 1996, the same year he was named France's Commercial Director of the Year. Over three decades, Planchon has built a reputation for emotionally resonant storytelling grounded in authentic human moments rather than technical spectacle. His work for PlayStation ('Tear'), Vodafone ('Kiss'), Cadbury ('Bus'), Renault ('The French Exchange'), and Heineken has earned 35 D&AD Pencils (including a Yellow for Direction) and 12 Cannes Gold Lions. He shoots with digital cameras paired with vintage anamorphic lenses to achieve what he calls "imperfection and filmic quality," preferring genuine reactions from real people when possible. His client roster spans AT&T, Chevrolet, GE, Škoda, American Airlines, Google, AXA, the European Parliament, and Save the Children. In 2022 he shot the TV mini-series 'Of Money and Blood,' demonstrating his continued evolution across formats. Recent commercial work includes PlayStation PS5 (2024), Pfizer 'Inches' (2026), and War Child Records (2026).