Final 12 months’s visible id for the Karlovy Fluctuate International Movie Pageant (KVIFF) rested on one thing deceptively easy: an embrace. This 12 months, marking the competition’s double anniversary — its sixtieth version, within the eightieth 12 months since its founding — the design crew has rolled out a distinct picture solely: a purple carpet, stretching out in invitation.
Jonatan Kuna, working alongside Aleš Najbrt of Prague-based design home Studio Najbrt, is the artistic power behind this 12 months’s look, which is able to flip up all over the place from competition merchandise to the streets of the picturesque Czech spa city through the occasion itself. When organizers unveiled the design, the duo described it in intentionally open phrases: “The visual has been designed as simply as possible so that it might evoke various associations and interpretations while symbolizing the festival.”
THR caught up with Kuna and Najbrt to speak via the considering — and the historical past — behind this 12 months’s KVIFF id.
This 12 months’s visible id for KVIFF is celebrating a double anniversary. What was the inspiration for the purple carpet theme?
Kuna We had been searching for a motif that will have fun this 12 months’s anniversary, and our inspiration got here from what occurs on the purple carpet at festivals. We wish this 12 months’s competition to be not just for stars and filmmakers, however for all competition guests and movie lovers.
Final 12 months, you had an embrace as a key characteristic or image of the id. This 12 months, the theme is extra summary. How do you select between extra summary or extra particular topics, and do you attempt to swap issues up for KVIFF from 12 months to 12 months?
Najbrt Sure. We all the time attempt to discover a new theme or visible idea. It’s not essential to us whether or not it’s an abstraction, graphic design, or images. We’re impressed by varied themes that don’t essentially must be immediately linked to movie. Generally it’s the setting of Karlovy Fluctuate, the place the competition takes place, different instances it’s broader social themes.
Has there been a very troublesome 12 months when it got here to creating a visible id for the competition, and why was that 12 months so difficult?
Najbrt It’s difficult yearly, as a result of we all the time begin from scratch and don’t need to repeat ourselves, however somewhat give you one thing new. I keep in mind the forty ninth version, after we turned the quantity 49 right into a easy drawing of slightly pig. The preliminary reactions had been very damaging, however through the competition, folks started to grasp the playfulness and humor, and it grew to become one of the crucial standard ones.
How did your crew select the precise coloration of purple to make use of on this 12 months’s visible id, and the way the purple would run — vertically versus horizontally?
Kuna We selected a heat purple to seize the summer time ambiance of the competition. The purple carpet is oriented vertically, in order that it leads ahead to the competition.
Is there anything you want to share about your work or Studio Najbrt’s work for the competition visible id this 12 months or prior to now?
Najbrt What’s distinctive is that we’ve been working for the competition for greater than 30 years and nonetheless have the belief of the competition’s management. That is additionally because of the truth that the authors are varied graphic designers from our studio. We’ve a robust relationship with movie, and that too is linked to our long-standing collaboration.
