Anxiety builds as 42 young creatives await deadline at Cannes Young Lions Kenya

A charged silence hung over the EABL Microbrewery on the final day of the 2026 Cannes Young Lions Kenya competition as 42 young creatives across the Digital, Design, and Film categories worked feverishly against time, knowing they had just hours left before the 10 am submission deadline.

David Odipo and Duncan Lubanga, one of the participants, revealed that even though the tension is high, they see themselves at a high chance of winning.

"We actually can't think negatively of ourselves. I have packed my bags and learned basic French phrases in case we qualify and fly to France to represent Kenya," Duncan said.

Before 9:30 am, the atmosphere was defined by urgency, anxiety, and intense concentration.

Laptops glowed across workstations, notebooks lay scattered with sketches and keywords, and whispered conversations broke out between teammates trying to refine ideas that could define their careers.

Every minute counted. Earlier in the morning, between 8:50 am and 9:30 am, teams had received their category-specific briefs from challenge owners Safaricom’s Zizwe Awuor for Digital, Flavia Othim for Design, and Tusker’s Keza Mpyisi for Film.

The moment the briefs were issued, the pressure became real.

From that point on, the competitors were locked into a high-stakes race to interpret the challenge, develop a compelling idea, and package it clearly for judges.

The competition demands more than creativity. The briefs are rooted in real business challenges, meaning teams must balance bold ideas with practicality, clarity, and cultural relevance.

For many participants, this balancing act heightened the tension as the clock ticked toward the 10 am cutoff.

By shortly after 9 am, signs of strain were visible.

Some teams debated last-minute changes, others stared silently at screens, unsure whether to simplify further or push the idea one step more.

Occasional glances at the time revealed a shared fear: running out of it. Jury members moved quietly around the room, observing but not interfering, their presence adding another layer of pressure.

Every keystroke, sketch, and whispered decision felt consequential, knowing that only six creatives three teams would eventually earn the chance to represent Kenya at the global Cannes Lions stage in France.

For Digital category participant David Odipo, the challenge captured the collective mood.

“Twenty-four hours, so many ideas, so many concepts, and you still have to be as simple as possible,” he said earlier, a reflection echoed in the tense focus seen across the room.

As 9:30 am approached, the reality settled in: in less than an hour, ideas would no longer be ideas.

They would be judged. And for these 42 young creatives, the wait for 10 am felt longer than ever.