Sonia Huria joins Cannes Lions 2026 PR Lions jury

MUMBAI: Looks like Indian storytelling is heading to the French Riviera and this time, it’s carrying a jury badge. Sonia Huria, Head of Communications at Maddock Films, has been selected as part of the Shortlisting Jury for the PR Lions category at the 2026 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, becoming the only representative from India in the category this year.

The appointment places one of India’s most visible communications leaders on one of advertising and media’s most influential global stages at a time when the boundaries between PR, marketing, creator culture and entertainment storytelling are increasingly collapsing into one giant content ecosystem.

Announcing the news on LinkedIn, Huria reflected on how communication today can no longer operate in silos, arguing that PR, influencer marketing, digital, social media and content are now deeply interconnected disciplines tied together by storytelling.

And storytelling, she suggested, is where the real power lies.

“The stories that move culture, build communities, shape perception, spark conversation, and create real world impact,” Huria wrote, describing how audiences today do not merely consume stories, they participate in them.

With more than 20 years in communications, Huria’s career has cut across agency, broadcast and streaming worlds. Before joining Maddock Films, she held leadership roles at Genesis Burson-Marsteller, Viacom18 Media, and Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios, working across entertainment, corporate communications and brand strategy.

Her selection also reflects the growing global visibility of India’s entertainment-led communications ecosystem, particularly as streaming platforms, creator culture and film marketing increasingly influence mainstream brand storytelling.

In her post, Huria credited several mentors and industry leaders who shaped her journey, including senior executives from Viacom18, Amazon MGM Studios and Maddock Films founder Dinesh Vijan.

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity remains one of the advertising and communications industry’s most prestigious global events, bringing together agencies, brands, creators and media leaders from around the world to celebrate creative effectiveness and cultural impact.

For India’s communications industry, Huria’s appointment is more than just another jury seat. It is another signal that Indian storytelling, once seen largely through the lens of advertising is now increasingly shaping global conversations around culture, influence and entertainment.