Israeli directors win MTV award for Coldplay’s ‘Up&Up’ music video

Israel natives Vania Heymann and Gal Muggia were also nominated in the category of best direction at the VMAs.

By CORAL BRAUN
Updated: AUGUST 29, 2016 19:57
Music video for Coldplay's "Up & Up." (photo credit: YOUTUBE)
Music video for Coldplay's "Up & Up."
(photo credit: YOUTUBE)
The Israeli directors of a popular music video for British rock band Coldplay’s song “Up&Up” won an MTV Video Music award for best visual effects on Sunday night in New York.
Israel natives Vania Heymann and Gal Muggia were also nominated in the category of “best direction,” but fell short to Melina Matsoukas, the director of pop sensation Beyoncé’s “Formation” music video.
The “Up&Up” video, released in May, was the third single released from Coldplay’s new album, titled A Head Full of Dreams.
Coldplay - Up&Up
Heymann and Muggia’s production featured a unique interpretation of the whimsical, from a digital perspective, and includes the juxtaposition of everyday objects and environments and situations unnatural to them: Paratroopers are captured diving into a bowl of pasta rather than the earth below, a stingray floats above a sea of surfers, a dryer contains the depths of the sea, a volcano spews popcorn rather than lava and the Empire State Building stands tall in a cereal bowl. It is bizarre, unique and beautiful.
Heymann is no stranger to the digital world. A graduate of the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, he has a deep-rooted knack for aesthetics and is acclaimed in the arts world. His previous works include music video direction for Bob Dylan, CeeLo Green and Asaf Avidan, and commercial work for brands such as Pepsi and American Express.
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin spoke highly of the video prior to its release in a radio interview. He referred to it as “one of the best videos... ever made,” and insinuated that even if sound were to be removed from the clip, the brilliance of its imagery would remain.