YouTube and the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival have partnered to search for two young creatives to win a trip to this year’s event and fill a new 38th place as ‘Team YouTube’ in the 2009 Young Lions Film Competition.

The online video site will be running a 48-hour viral film contest to create an ad for a well known, international charity whose identity will be kept under wraps until the launch of the contest.

Contestants will then have two weeks to generate as many views possible. Two winners will be selected by a panel of experts who will judge the ad based on creativity, number of views and video ratings.

The winners will unite and receive an all expenses paid trip to Cannes to attend the International Advertising Festival and a chance to compete as the 38th team in the prestigious Young Lions Film competition.

“This is a great way to encourage young creatives in traditional media to grasp new media tools and develop an innovative viral campaign for a leading charity,” says Lorraine Twohill, vice president of global marketing, Google/YouTube.