Anton Corbijn returns to music videos and brings U2 back to the place associated with their biggest triumph - and also one of his - 35 years later. And the fact it works so well encapsulates why Corbijn is one of the genuine masters of the artform.In Corbijn's video for The Greatest Show On Earth, the Irish legends are a travelling sideshow marooned in the middle of the Californian desert. Bono is the master of ceremonies, of course. The other three members of the band are performing, their faces covered in plastercast masks. But the focus primarily is not on the band at the start, but different women marching through the desert towards them, each carrying an object from home.The band - in particular Bono - become more central to proceedings as it progresses, and by then, we are under the spell of a visual which gives space to a range of emotion for a characteristcally anthemic but reflective song. It follows an old school respect for rock star charisma, but also lightened by mystery and irreverence. And is that actually the band behind the masks? They turn up again in the video, wearing other disguises.Corbijn's video manages to be both elegiac - and the Western setting helps that - but also playful. His qualites as a masterful video director are on display and, of course, it looks great. The monochromatic palette for which Anton Corbijn is renowned is shot here by cinematographer Phedon Papamichael. Corbijn was the photographer of the cover of U2's most successful album The Joshua Tree in the late 1980s. It wasn't his his first or last for U2, but probably the most iconic for the band, during a period when he was creating iconic portraits of rock stars and bands seemingly as a matter of course. And also, at the same time, being a prolific music video director.He has still been making promos for Depeche Mode in recent years, but he is now mainly focussed on feature films. His new movie, the crime drama A Talent For Murder, is released next month. For this project, one of the tracks on the U2's new album Carnaval De Luz - and the first of two videos he has directed for the album - he has explained that he was lured into a comeback by U2, a band he has known, and been photographing, for more than 40 years."I often say I stopped doing videos but I guess I get persuaded sometimes," Anton wrote on Instagram. "It was a blast, with the band in top form."

London-based boutique production company The Banquet has announced the signing of director Lea Otovic, one of the most exciting emerging talents in the UK music video scene.Known for her distinctive visual language, dark humour and unapologetically inventive approach to filmmaking, Otovic has established herself as a director with a singular creative voice. Her work includes videos for Lambrini Girls, Ruby Duff, Milesbluue and, in particular, a series of strikingly original music videos for singer-songwriter Lonnie Gunn.Born and raised in Brighton, Lea grew up immersed in the seaside city's arts and music scene. Initially determined to become a drummer, her ambitions took a cinematic turn when she discovered filmmaking as a teenager. Directing music videos eventually offered the perfect marriage of her two great passions: music and storytelling.Her route into directing came through the art department. After training at MetFilm School, she worked as an art director and production designer across short films, commercials and music videos. Her background in production design has become a defining influence on her directorial style, with her approaching every project as an opportunity to construct a fully realised world.She has created distinctive worlds in all her videos for Brighton artist Lonnie Gunn. Their collaborations range from the gloriously camp art direction of Jessie's Pitbull to the frenzied, grungy slumber party of Kiss You. In Dog in a Hot Car, Lonnie becomes possessed by a sinister force inside an eerie country house, and Lucky Girl is a blood-soaked love letter to 1990s slasher cinema. Their latest collaboration on Taxidermy Swan, takes heartbreak into the unsettling territory of Cronenberg-inspired body horror.Otovic's next music video, for artist Beattie, is due for release later this month. And she has also recently completed her directorial debut short film, Princess Pea, which is set to begin its festival run in 2027. "Lea has that rare combination of a designer's eye, a fearless sense of humour and a genuine emotional instinct," says Adham Hunt, co-founder and executive producer of The Banquet. "Her films are imaginative, wonderfully unpredictable and completely distinctive. She has an extraordinary ability to make a little go a very long way, creating worlds that feel far bigger than the resources available to her."Above all, she's a filmmaker with a real point of view, and that's something we value enormously at The Banquet. We're incredibly excited to welcome her to the roster and help bring her unique creative vision to new artists, brands and audiences."Lea Otovic adds: "I've always wanted to make work that feels handmade, personal and a bit unhinged. The Banquet understands that, and I'm really excited to build something with them."• Watch Lea Otovic's showreel at The Banquet here

Girl in red - Marie Ulven Ringheim - gives a superb performance in a video high on cinematic craft and imagination by Isak Jenssen. Ringheim certainly goes through the mill in her video for Blue. The essential narrative, the arc of a doomed love affair, is completely familiar but not the way it's told. Not only is there the live action drama - its hard to overstate how good Ringheim is in this - there's also a section of cynotype animation, printed on real denim. A very impressive video by Jenssen - as both director and cinematographer - and by Martin Bremnes, who has also co-directed previous girl in red videos with Jenssen, and acts as 1st AD and editor here. And big props to Edd Carr who created the denim animation sequence.

Harry Welsh directs a provocative, sweat-soaked promo for Australian pop artist ANDY, turning the hypermasculine world of Australian football into a fever dream of queer desire, longing and liberation.Set between the rugby field and the locker room, Can't Wait follows a younger version of ANDY as the physical intensity of the game gradually gives way to something more intimate.Glances linger, bodies collide and the familiar rituals of contact sport take on an increasingly homoerotic charge, building towards an explosive, euphoric release. It's a powerful, unfiltered presentation of bodies, desire and belonging, executed in a highly cinematic way."It's bold. Unapologetically queer. As absurdly funny as it is strikingly beautiful," says Harry Welsh. "Footy, inherently, is something ubiquitous but unspoken - we wanted to make something that finally says it out loud."Balancing raw physicality with moments of tenderness, humour and heightened fantasy, Welsh delivers a striking visual statement that reclaims the codes of Australian sport and transforms them into a celebration of queer identity.

Katharina Hingst directs an upbeat promo for Dominican-Italian singer-songwriter YEИDRY.No Me Vuelvo A Enamorar is the final video in a three-part series, and is a celebration of identity, heritage, and the beauty of embracing duality.Returning to the Dominican Republic and the roots that ground her, YEИDRY reconnects with her culture, family, and the traditions that have shaped who she is. Having grown up between Italy and the DR, she explores the experience of navigating two cultures and the journey toward embracing both as integral parts of herself - ultimately finding wholeness in the duality.At the heart of all three videos is YEИDRY’s grandmother, the connective force binding the stories together. A powerful embodiment of womanhood, resilience, and generational strength, she serves as the bridge between past and present, connecting the artist to her ancestry and the women who came before her. It's a fast-paced montage of performance, portraiture and creative cutaways, and perfectly captures the vibe of the track.

Tickets are being snapped up for the biggest night in music video as the UKMVAs returns to The Roundhouse in London on 4th November - hosted by Scissor Sisters founding member Ana Matronic.Ana returns to host the show for the fourth year in succession after her triumphant turns over the past three years - but for her debut appearance as host at The Roundhouse, where the UKMVAs are returning for the first time since 2021.The winners of the 39 categories with shortlists will be announced on the night - plus the Video of The Year. In addition, one special award will be presented at the ceremony. Check out all the awards nominations here.Directors, producers, commissioners and craftspeople from across the industry have confirmed their attendance, but some tickets are still available, on sale via the UKMVAs website. Tickets are £250 + VAT each, available individually or as tables.It is also been confirmed that Ascent Creatives International, formerly WPA, are on board as sponsors of the prestigious Best Producer award at this year's UKMVAs. Following the merger of WPA and DDA Talent, the agency has a new global identity - but with the same London team and the same commitment to music video.• More on the UK Music Video Awards 2026 here