Sundance Film Festival
PORTO ROCHA• Date added
• Date added
Established in 1985, the Sundance Film Festival stands as the largest and longest-running independent film festival in the United States. Over the years, it has introduced the world to iconic titles of the indie canon, including the likes of "American Psycho", "Love & Basketball", "Call Me by Your Name", "CODA", "Little Miss Sunshine" and "Fair Play".
New York-based branding agency PORTO ROCHA collaborated with the Sundance Institute to develop an identity that supports the Festival in uniting artists and audiences through premieres of groundbreaking works. This collaboration encompassed multiple elements, including a fresh brand identity for an event in January 2023, a new logo that would serve as an iconic identifier and flexible framing device, as well as a comprehensive design toolkit.
Client
Sundance Institute
Year
2023
Creative Director
Leo Porto
Felipe Rocha
Designer
Martín Azambuja
Typefaces in Use
Working with one of the most important players in independent film provided PORTO ROCHA a unique opportunity to capture the rich legacy and forward-looking ethos of the Sundance Film Festival. As an annual platform that introduces groundbreaking works and emerging talent, the Festival required a brand identity that encapsulated its dynamic spirit and enduring impact. To achieve this, PORTO ROCHA developed a versatile brand language that embraces the Festival's multiplicity of stories and perspectives, creating a timeless brand that resonates with contemporary relevance on a global scale.
"Working with one of the most important players in independent film provided a unique opportunity to represent the Festival's legacy as well as its forward-looking ethos, at once timeless and contemporary."
The logo of the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, characterised by its film-inspired aspect ratio, serves dual purpose as both a key identifier and a versatile framing device for the Festival. When overlaid on footage and stills from the programme, it calls attention to specific moments, characters and emotions. The typography, set in Monument Grotesk, strikes a balance between signalling the Festival's presence and maintaining a neutral tone that speaks to diverse genres and titles. The compositions drew inspiration from the seriality of film strip cells, utilising the shape of the logo to tell stories of their own. Anchored in the language of filmmaking, the motion behaviours seamlessly complement the footage and guide audiences through the unique brand universe of the Sundance Film Festival.
At the heart of the brand's narrative lies the presence of a new voice, channelled through the persona known as the "Narrator of Our Now". Drawing inspiration from the world of film, this voice engages in a dynamic dialogue with artists, audiences and the film industry, effortlessly transitioning between moments of celebration and exposition, all while staying grounded in the contemporary moment. Further amplifying this distinctive voice is the tagline "All Eyes on Independents", which brings new perspectives into focus by putting the spotlight on independent artists.
PORTO ROCHA
PORTO ROCHA is a New York-based design studio with a focus on developing creative and strategic work that engages deeply with the world we live in. Working closely with people and companies to craft branding systems, products and experiences, PORTO ROCHA seeks to provoke meaningful change through their work, from large-scale projects that reach significant audiences to socially and culturally-motivated initiatives.
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