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A striking cinema-inspired festival identity by Axel Peemoeller and Dimitris Papazoglou

A stark monochrome palette and bold typography make this identity for Greece's 57 Thessaloniki International Film Festival a superb example of how to take influences and mould them into something graphically considered and brilliantly eye-catching.

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Black and white printed materials for the 57 Thessaloniki International Film Festival arranged at angles, featuring bold monospaced typography and geometric layouts

According to Axel Peemoeller, who worked with Greek designer Dimitris Papazoglou on the project, the identity draws on "key characteristics related to cinema: the projection screen, the repetition of film frames, the sense of movement and time, and cinema theatre seating."

Across applications including event posters and invitations, signage, wayfinding, tickets, catalogues and merchandise, these ideas of repetition become a visually striking and engaging set of touchpoints. Though the overall look and feel is decidedly modern, there's a nod to the golden era of Hollywood and early black and white film's countdowns in the typographic treatment. "The technical monospaced typeface creates a link between classic cinema and technology surrounding it nowadays," explains New York-based Peemoeller.

Open magazine spread showing a black and white portrait repeated three times on the left page and bold repetitive typography on the right page for the 57 Thessaloniki International Film Festival identity
Black and white photograph of a packed auditorium at the 57 Thessaloniki International Film Festival with a speaker on stage and illuminated signage visible on the left
Black and white photographs showing attendees at the 57 Thessaloniki International Film Festival and the festival's bold typographic signage displayed on stage
Left: audience silhouettes facing a projection screen displaying the 57 Thessaloniki International Film Festival identity; right: festival wayfinding signage in a modern interior space
Storefront window displaying black and white festival identity posters with geometric patterns and typography for the 57 Thessaloniki International Film Festival
Storefront window displays showing bold monochrome posters for the 57 Thessaloniki International Film Festival with geometric typography and repeated patterns, as a blurred figure walks past
Black and white graphic showing stacked film strips with window frames against a dark background, referencing cinema and the 57 Thessaloniki International Film Festival identity
A cylindrical object displaying repeated text reading "TSAL" and "LANOITANRETNI" in bold monospaced typeface against a black background
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