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The heart of this week’s Best of the AP win is the story of how the team successfully overhauled the coverage of an event the news cooperative has been staffing for 70 years.

AP’s photo coverage from the 2019 Cannes film festival visually captured the glamour and excitement of the event in new ways without sacrificing the traditional elements that have worked in the past.

Early in the Cannes planning stage, London-based Dejan Jankovic, deputy director of entertainment content, decided to build his team with a combination of experience and fresh eyes. Jankovic added Petros Giannakouris, a creative Athens-based photographer who had no Cannes experience, to partner with the very solid and talented team of entertainment specialists from Invision, AP’s entertainment photo operation: Atlanta-based editor Ali Kaufman and photographers Joel C Ryan, Vianney le Caer and Arthur Mola.

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Moments from the 72nd Festival de Cannes, May 2019.

AP Photos / Petros Giannakouris

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Model Martha Hunt poses for photographers at the premiere of “The Best Years of a Life” at the 72nd international film festival, Cannes, France, May 18, 2019.

AP Photo / Petros Giannakouris

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Model Alessandra Ambrosio poses for photographers at the premiere of “Les Miserables” at the 72nd international film festival, Cannes, France, May 15, 2019.

AP Photo / Vianney Le Caer, Invision

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Model Camila Morrone poses for photographers at the premiere of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” at the 72nd international film festival, Cannes, France, May 21, 2019.

AP Photo / Joel C Ryan, Invision

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Jury member Elle Fanning poses for photographers at the premiere of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” at the 72nd international film festival, Cannes, France, May 21, 2019.

AP Photo / Vianney Le Caer, Invision

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Singer Elton John, left, and actor Taron Egerton acknowledge applause after performing at the party for the film “Rocketman” at the 72nd international film festival, Cannes, France, May 16, 2019.

AP Photo / Arthur Mola, Invision

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Francesca, left, and her Havanese dog, Skiddo, attend the photo call for the Palm Dog competition at the 72nd international film festival, Cannes, France, May 24, 2019.

AP Photo / Petros Giannakouris

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Moments from the 72nd Festival de Cannes, May 2019.

AP Photos / Petros Giannakouris

This team’s thoughtful approach was on vivid display, producing some brilliant images, even as they delivered the breadth of coverage our customers demand. Speed, too, was never sacrificed – all photo positions were cabled, which meant images were filed to clients within minutes. Despite working a huge volume of imagery at breakneck speed, the wire edit by Jankovic and Kaufman was accurate, newsy and highly creative.

AP won Cannes’ daily Photographer’s Award five times over the two weeks, impressive recognition in a competition open to every accredited photographer at the festival. In total, AP delivered more than 2,000 images to our Photostream clients and added more than 5,000 to the AP Images site.

A competitor agency brings huge resources to bear for this event – 32 photographers, 10 editors and 4 managers – but AP’s team of six competed admirably with them and punched way above its weight.

For showing the glamour, fashion and celebrities of Cannes in a fresh and arresting manner, Jankovic, Giannakouris, Kaufman, Ryan, le Caer and Mola earn AP’s Best of the Week award.