Karlovy Vary Film Festival 2025: embracing Humanity Through Visual Identity

International Film Festival (KVIFF) unveils its visual identity centered around the powerful symbol of an embrace, designed by Studio Najbrt.">

The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF), gearing up for its 59th edition in the picturesque Czech spa town, has revealed its 2025 visual identity: a poignant embrace. Designed by Zuzana Lednická of Prague-based Studio Najbrt, the embrace symbolizes connection, friendship, and forgiveness, aiming to bridge divides in an increasingly polarized world. The festival runs from July 4-12, 2025.

The Embrace: A Symbol of Connection at KVIFF 2025

After years of relying on graphic symbols, Lednická sought a more profound narrative element that resonates with everyday life and the essence of cinema.The embrace, a universal gesture of closeness, love, and forgiveness, emerged as the perfect motif.It serves as a reminder of the human connections frequently enough overlooked in daily routines.

Did You Know? The Cannes Film Festival also featured an embrace in its visual identity the same year,suggesting a shared sentiment in the film community.

Lednická explained to The Hollywood Reporter that the choice was also influenced by the growing polarization in society, exacerbated by social media echo chambers. She hopes the embrace will encourage mutual respect and understanding, even amidst disagreements.

Capturing the Essence of Human Connection

To create the visual identity, photographer Václav Jirásek captured over a hundred photographs, ranging from candid shots of ordinary people to carefully staged scenarios. The goal was to achieve a sense of authenticity, depicting real friends and couples sharing intimate moments. Ultimately, around 15 images were selected to represent the festival’s theme.

The team intentionally avoided using actors, except in one instance, to ensure the genuineness of the emotions conveyed. The settings were also carefully chosen to showcase diverse situations where an embrace could occur, emphasizing its universality.

Key Elements of KVIFF’s Visual Identity

Studio Najbrt, which has collaborated with KVIFF for 30 years, consistently seeks powerful and memorable visual elements. These elements often incorporate a degree of provocation, reflecting the festival’s willingness to take creative risks. The studio aims to create visuals that surprise and resonate with the audience.

Pro Tip: A strong visual identity should be memorable, surprising, and reflective of the brand’s core values.

The Impact of Visual Identity

Lednická emphasizes the importance of audience interaction, viewing the festival as a meaningful social event. The studio eagerly anticipates the public’s response to the visual identity, acknowledging the inherent nervousness and curiosity that accompany each year’s unveiling.

The embrace as a visual identity for the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of human connection in a world frequently enough divided. It encourages viewers to embrace empathy, understanding, and forgiveness, both in cinema and in life.

What is the significance of choosing an embrace as the visual identity?

The embrace symbolizes connection,friendship,love,and forgiveness,aiming to bridge divides in an increasingly polarized world.

How many photos were taken for the KVIFF 2025 visual identity?

Photographer Václav Jirásek captured over a hundred photographs, ranging from candid shots of ordinary people to carefully staged scenarios.